Shloka 20

सामवेद–अथर्ववेदशाखाः, पुराणसंहिता, अष्टादशपुराणानि, विद्यास्थानानि

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

Devanagari script

आद्यं सर्वपुराणानां पुराणं ब्राह्मम् उच्यते अष्टादश पुराणानि पुराणज्ञाः प्रचक्षते

Transliteration

ādyaṃ sarvapurāṇānāṃ purāṇaṃ brāhmam ucyate aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni purāṇajñāḥ pracakṣate

Translation

Among all the Purāṇas, the foremost is said to be the Brāhma Purāṇa; and the knowers of Purāṇic tradition declare that the Purāṇas are eighteen in number.

Word by Word

• आद्यम्: the first, primary
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पुराणम्’)

• सर्वपुराणानाम्: of all the Purāṇas
• सर्वपुराणानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि पुराणानि)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa (text)
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Predicate complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; predicate nominative with ‘उच्यते’

• ब्राह्मम्: Brāhma (named ‘Brāhma’)
• ब्राह्मम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पुराणम्’)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टा-दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक समाहार (18); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः — qualifying ‘पुराणानि’

• पुराणानि: Purāṇas
• पुराणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म) (of ‘प्रचक्षते’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• पुराणज्ञाः: knowers of the Purāṇas
• पुराणज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुराणानां ज्ञाः)

• प्रचक्षते: declare, state
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of the Purāṇas as eighteen and note on the primacy of the Brāhma Purāṇa in a classificatory list

Teaching: Historical

Quality: cataloguing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purāṇic knowledge is presented as a recognized canon with an internal hierarchy and fixed enumeration, supporting shared standards of dharma-memory.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use canonical lists and agreed standards to orient study, while reading each text in its own theological voice and purpose.

Vishishtadvaita: A canon that is many yet ordered mirrors qualified non-dualism: unity of purpose (Vishnu-centered dharma) with plurality of expressions (multiple Purāṇas).

Characters & Entities

• Purāṇas
• Brāhma Purāṇa
• Purāṇa-knowers (Purāṇajñāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of listing the Purāṇas as eighteen in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse anchors the Purāṇic corpus as a recognized canon of eighteen, establishing a traditional framework for cosmology, dharma, and sacred history.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Purāṇic authority in this context?

He appeals to received tradition—“the knowers of the Purāṇas declare”—presenting the enumeration as an accepted, authoritative classification rather than a private opinion.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the passage supports the Vishnu Purana’s broader aim: grounding teachings about the Supreme Reality and universal order within an authoritative Purāṇic canon.