Shloka 23

वेदव्यासः, चातुर्होत्रम्, ऋग्वेदशाखाः

Vyāsa’s Veda-division and Ṛgveda lineages

Devanagari script

संहितात्रितयं चक्रे शाकपूणिर् अथेतरः निरुक्तम् अकरोत् तद्वच् चतुर्थं मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

saṃhitātritayaṃ cakre śākapūṇir athetaraḥ niruktam akarot tadvac caturthaṃ munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, Śākapūṇi composed three Saṃhitās; and another seer likewise produced the discipline of Nirukta as a fourth.

Word by Word

• संहिता-त्रितयम्: a triad of Saṃhitās
• संहिता-त्रितयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रयाणां संहितानाम् समूहः)

• चक्रे: made/composed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• शाकपूणिः: Śākapūṇi
• शाकपूणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकपूणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Proper noun

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• इतरः: the other (disciple)
• इतरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘the other (one)’

• निरुक्तम्: the Nirukta (treatise)
• निरुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Title/name of a text

• अकरोत्: made/composed
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यताबोधक (adverb of manner)

• चतुर्थम्: the fourth (one)
• चतुर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘the fourth (text/portion)’ (elliptic)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘श्रेष्ठः मुनिषु’), Vocative

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Vedic śākhās and their auxiliary disciplines were organized and preserved

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nirukta and saṃhitā-organization protect the Veda’s intended meaning, ensuring right knowledge is not lost in transmission.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Study primary texts with disciplined tools (language, context, commentary) to avoid misreading; let meaning guide practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Right interpretation of śruti is the gateway to knowing Nārāyaṇa as the highest reality; auxiliaries serve devotion by safeguarding meaning.

Characters & Entities

• Parashara
• Maitreya
• Shakapuni
• Nirukta

FAQs

What is the significance of Nirukta in the Vishnu Purana’s account of Vedic tradition?

This verse highlights Nirukta as a crucial ‘fourth’ discipline that preserves the Veda’s intended meaning by explaining difficult words through etymology and semantics.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the transmission of sacred knowledge here?

Parāśara presents Vedic learning as a carefully organized tradition: compendia are composed and meaning-based interpretation (Nirukta) is established so revelation remains intelligible across ages.

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

By emphasizing ordered preservation of the Veda and its meaning, the narrative supports the Purāṇic view that dharma and cosmic order—ultimately grounded in Vishnu as Supreme Reality—are maintained through reliable scriptural transmission.