Shloka 12
एकदा तु मया पृष्टम् यद् एतद् भवतोदितम् प्राह कालिङ्गको विप्रः स्मृत्वा तस्य मुनेर् वचः
ekadā tu mayā pṛṣṭam yad etad bhavatoditam prāha kāliṅgako vipraḥ smṛtvā tasya muner vacaḥ
Once, when I asked about precisely what you have just stated, the brāhmaṇa Kāliṅgaka replied—after calling to mind the words of that sage.
Primary narrator within the Parāśara–Maitreya frame (a recalled report involving the brāhmaṇa Kāliṅgaka and an unnamed sage)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: A specific point just raised is traced back to remembered prior instruction, emphasizing faithful recollection and citation.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Accurate remembrance (smṛti) of a sage’s teaching preserves doctrinal continuity and guards against distortion.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Keep careful notes, recite and reflect regularly, and cite sources faithfully when transmitting teachings.
Vishishtadvaita: Honors smṛti as a valid support for knowing the Lord and dharma when aligned with śruti and realized teachers.
FAQs
This verse emphasizes that Purāṇic teaching is authenticated through faithful recollection and transmission of a recognized sage’s instruction, reinforcing the authority of the tradition.
By embedding teachings within a chain of inquiry and response—where a speaker cites earlier sages—this verse shows a deliberate method of preserving doctrine through remembered, attributed speech.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s method safeguards teachings ultimately oriented to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality by ensuring they are transmitted through an authoritative lineage of speakers.