Shloka 2

वेदव्यासः, चातुर्होत्रम्, ऋग्वेदशाखाः

Vyāsa’s Veda-division and Ṛgveda lineages

Devanagari script

ततो ऽत्र मत्सुतो व्यासो ऽष्टाविंशतितमे ऽन्तरे वेदम् एकं चतुष्पादं चतुर्धा व्यभजत् प्रभुः

Transliteration

tato 'tra matsuto vyāso 'ṣṭāviṃśatitame 'ntare vedam ekaṃ catuṣpādaṃ caturdhā vyabhajat prabhuḥ

Translation

Then, in this cycle, my son Vyāsa—the mighty sage—at the twenty-eighth interval divided the one Veda, complete in four parts, into four distinct portions.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'thereafter/then'

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Locative/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — 'here/in this context'

• mat-sutaḥ: my son
• mat-sutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मत् + सुतः) — 'my son'

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• aṣṭāviṃśatitame: in the twenty-eighth
• aṣṭāviṃśatitame: Adhikarana (Locative/देश-कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭāviṃśati (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण — 'in the twenty-eighth' (agreeing with antare)

• antare: in the interval/period
• antare: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'interval/period'

• vedam: the Veda
• vedam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ekam: one/single
• ekam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (vedam)

• catuṣpādam: having four parts
• catuṣpādam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catuṣ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समासः (चतुरः पादाः यस्य) — 'four-footed/four-part' (qualifying vedam)

• caturdhā: fourfold
• caturdhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: caturdhā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — 'into four ways/parts'

• vyabhajat: divided
• vyabhajat: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √bhaj (भज् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'he divided/apportioned'

• prabhuḥ: the lord/master
• prabhuḥ: Karta (Subject-apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; व्यासस्य विशेषण/उपाधि

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Manvantara-wise succession of Vyāsas and the division of the Veda

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Within cyclic time, the one integral Veda is periodically systematized by Vyāsa so dharma-knowledge remains accessible as ages change.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat scripture-study as a disciplined transmission: learn through a reliable lineage and organized śākhā rather than fragmentary quotations.

Vishishtadvaita: Vedic revelation is preserved through divinely guided agency within time, supporting a personal Lord’s providence over śāstra.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Vyāsa
• Veda

FAQs

What is the significance of the twenty-eighth interval (manvantara context) mentioned here in the Vishnu Purana?

It situates Vyāsa’s Veda-division within a specific cosmic-historical cycle, emphasizing that revelation is preserved and re-presented repeatedly across manvantara timings to sustain dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the division of the Veda in this passage?

Parāśara states that his son Vyāsa took the one, complete Veda—described as ‘four-footed’—and apportioned it into four, indicating an intentional organization of sacred knowledge for effective transmission.

What is the theological importance of this verse in Vaishnava thought?

It portrays cosmic order as guided through empowered sages like Vyāsa, aligning scriptural continuity with divine governance: dharma is protected across ages through purposeful structuring of revelation.