Shloka 18

सामवेद–अथर्ववेदशाखाः, पुराणसंहिता, अष्टादशपुराणानि, विद्यास्थानानि

Sāma/Atharvan branches, Purāṇa compendium, 18 Purāṇas, knowledge taxonomy

Devanagari script

काश्यपः संहिताकर्ता सावर्णिः शांशपायनः रोमहर्षणिका चान्या तिसॄणां मूलसंहिता

Transliteration

kāśyapaḥ saṃhitākartā sāvarṇiḥ śāṃśapāyanaḥ romaharṣaṇikā cānyā tisṝṇāṃ mūlasaṃhitā

Translation

Kāśyapa became the arranger of a Saṃhitā; likewise Sāvarṇi and Śāṁśapāyana. Another, the Romaharṣaṇikā, too—these are the primal root-compilations of the three traditions.

Word by Word

• काश्यपः: Kāśyapa
• काश्यपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (list item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम)

• संहिताकर्ता: compiler/author of a saṃhitā
• संहिताकर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता-कर्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संहितायाः कर्ता)

• सावर्णिः: Sāvarṇi
• सावर्णिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (list item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावर्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम)

• शांशपायनः: Śāṃśapāyana
• शांशपायनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (list item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शांशपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम)

• रोमहर्षणिका: Romaharṣaṇikā
• रोमहर्षणिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (list item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमहर्षणिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्या: another
• अन्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying an implied feminine noun, e.g., संहिता)

• तिसॄणाम्: of three
• तिसॄणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक — ‘of three’

• मूलसंहिता: the original/root compilation
• मूलसंहिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) / Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल-संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मूला संहिता)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Root saṃhitās and their arrangers (saṃhitākartṛ) within the Purāṇic transmission

Teaching: Historical

Quality: technical

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred knowledge is organized into structured compilations so that meaning is preserved even as it is widely disseminated.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When sharing teachings, preserve sources and structure (citations, outlines, versions) to prevent drift and misremembering.

Vishishtadvaita: Textual order (saṃhitā-krama) serves as a vehicle for apprehending the Lord’s attributes and rule without collapsing plurality into formlessness.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: saṃhitā-rakṣaṇa (guardianship of textual integrity)

Key Kings: Kāśyapa, Sāvarṇi, Śāṃśapāyana

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa
• Sāvarṇi
• Śāṃśapāyana
• Romaharṣaṇikā

FAQs

What is the significance of mūla-saṃhitā (root compilation) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the earliest authoritative redactions through which Purāṇic knowledge is stabilized and transmitted, grounding later recensions in an acknowledged lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the preservation of sacred tradition here?

By naming recognized compilers/redactors, Parāśara frames Purāṇic knowledge as handed down through accountable human transmitters rather than as an anonymous, untraceable text.

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

Even when discussing textual lineages, the Purāṇa’s aim is continuity of dharma and right knowledge that culminates in devotion to Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality behind cosmic order.