Shloka 3

Devanagari script

याज्ञवल्क्यस् तु तस्याभूद् ब्रह्मरातसुतो द्विज शिष्यः परमधर्मज्ञो गुरुवृत्तिपरः सदा

Transliteration

yājñavalkyas tu tasyābhūd brahmarātasuto dvija śiṣyaḥ paramadharmajño guruvṛttiparaḥ sadā

Translation

And among his disciples was Yājñavalkya—O twice-born—son of Brahmarāta: knower of the highest Dharma, ever devoted to the conduct and service due to his teacher.

Word by Word

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• तस्य: of him (Vaiśampāyana)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभूत्: became / was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मरातसुतः: son of Brahmarāta
• ब्रह्मरातसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मरात-सुत (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मरात + सुत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मरातस्य सुतः)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• शिष्यः: disciple
• शिष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परमधर्मज्ञः: knower of the highest dharma
• परमधर्मज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-धर्म-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; परम + धर्म + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं जानाति इति धर्मज्ञः; परमः धर्मज्ञः)

• गुरुवृत्तिपरः: devoted to the teacher’s conduct/service
• गुरुवृत्तिपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु-वृत्ति-पर (प्रातिपदिक; गुरु + वृत्ति + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः वृत्तौ परः/गुरुवृत्तिपरः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of key disciples in the Yajurveda transmission, especially Yājñavalkya

Teaching: Historical

Quality: laudatory

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True Vedic mastery is inseparable from paramadharma-jñāna and unwavering guru-vṛtti—right conduct and service toward one’s teacher.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Pair study with character: humility, service, and ethical consistency; let learning refine behavior.

Vishishtadvaita: Brahma-vidyā (later associated with Yājñavalkya) is approached through disciplined dharma and reverent dependence—compatible with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s emphasis on śaraṇāgati and right means.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: dasya

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Brahmarāta
• Guru-śiṣya tradition
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the significance of Yājñavalkya being described as ‘parama-dharma-jña’ in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks Yājñavalkya as an authoritative bearer of Dharma—someone fit to preserve and transmit right order and sacred knowledge within the Purāṇic lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the importance of the guru-śiṣya relationship here?

By praising the disciple’s constant ‘guruvṛtti’ (proper service and conduct toward the teacher), Parāśara frames learning as inseparable from discipline, humility, and faithful transmission.

What theological takeaway about Vishnu’s order (dharma) can be drawn from this verse?

Even in genealogical passages, Dharma is presented as a stable, supra-personal order upheld through qualified teachers—reflecting the Vishnu Purana’s view of a divinely sustained cosmic and moral sovereignty.