Shloka 10

वेदव्यासः, चातुर्होत्रम्, ऋग्वेदशाखाः

Vyāsa’s Veda-division and Ṛgveda lineages

Devanagari script

रोमहर्षणनामानं महाबुद्धिं महामुनिः सूतं जग्राह शिष्यं स इतिहासपुराणयोः

Transliteration

romaharṣaṇanāmānaṃ mahābuddhiṃ mahāmuniḥ sūtaṃ jagrāha śiṣyaṃ sa itihāsapurāṇayoḥ

Translation

That great sage accepted as his disciple the Sūta named Romaharṣaṇa, of vast intelligence, appointing him as the bearer and expounder of Itihāsa and Purāṇa.

Word by Word

• रोमहर्षणनामानम्: (one) named Romaharṣaṇa
• रोमहर्षणनामानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमहर्षण + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रोमहर्षण-नामकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• महाबुद्धिम्: of great intellect
• महाबुद्धिम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महती बुद्धिः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग (बुद्धिमत्-अर्थे विशेषणरूपेण), द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (रोमहर्षणनामानम्)

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मुनिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ

• सूतम्: the Sūta (bard)
• सूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (apposition)

• जग्राह: accepted
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शिष्यम्: as a disciple
• शिष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (as disciple)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• इतिहासपुराणयोः: of the Itihāsa and Purāṇa
• इतिहासपुराणयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतिहासश्च पुराणं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार/द्वन्द्वे), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; सम्बन्ध

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Itihāsa and Purāṇa were entrusted for public transmission

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purāṇa and Itihāsa are authoritative vehicles that carry Vedic meaning to wider audiences through gifted expounders.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Engage Purāṇic study/hearing (śravaṇa) as a legitimate path to devotion and understanding of śruti’s intent.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s grace makes saving knowledge accessible through layered revelation—śruti supported by itihāsa-purāṇa for embodied seekers.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Romaharṣaṇa (Sūta)
• Mahāmuni (great sage)
• Itihāsa
• Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sūta Romaharṣaṇa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Romaharṣaṇa as the chosen disciple responsible for preserving and teaching Itihāsa and Purāṇa, anchoring the text’s authority in an established transmission lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the continuity of Purāṇic knowledge?

By emphasizing guru–śiṣya succession: a qualified disciple (here, the intelligent Sūta Romaharṣaṇa) is formally entrusted with the epic-historical and Purāṇic corpus so it remains intact across generations.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse focuses on transmission, it supports the Vishnu Purana’s claim that knowledge of Vishnu’s sovereignty and cosmic order is safeguarded through an authorized lineage of teachers and narrators.