Shloka 3

पुनर्जन्म-दैत्यावतार-यादववंशमहिमा

Rebirth, Daitya Incarnations, and the Glory of the Yādava/Vṛṣṇi Line

Devanagari script

एतद् इच्छाम्य् अहं श्रोतुं सर्वधर्मभृतां वर कौतूहलपरेणैतत् पृष्टो मे वक्तुम् अर्हसि

Transliteration

etad icchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ sarvadharmabhṛtāṃ vara kautūhalapareṇaitat pṛṣṭo me vaktum arhasi

Translation

I wish to hear this, O best among the upholders of dharma. Since, moved by earnest curiosity, I have asked you, you ought to explain it to me.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• सर्वधर्मभृताम्: of the upholders of all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मभृताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative): सर्वधर्मान् बिभ्रतीति; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• वर: O best (one)
• वर: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कौतूहलपरेण: out of curiosity/being intent on curiosity
• कौतूहलपरेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी/तृतीया-समर्थ तत्पुरुष: कौतूहले परः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; अहम् इति विशेषण

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पृष्टः: (you are) asked
• पृष्टः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (त्वम्) इति अध्याहृत-कर्ता-विशेषण

• मे: to me
• मे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (enclitic) — here दत्त-सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी (to me)

• वक्तुम्: to tell/speak
• वक्तुम्: प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वक्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: How the same being, slain by Viṣṇu in earlier births, later became Śiśupāla and attained sāyujya with Hari.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: earnest, inquiry-driven

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper understanding arises through humble questioning of a dharma-knowing teacher within a disciplic dialogue.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Ask precise questions of competent teachers; study patiently and seek coherent explanations rather than fragmentary beliefs.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge of the Lord and His salvific acts is mediated through guru–śiṣya transmission (Parāśara–Maitreya), aligning devotion with right understanding.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parasara
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the significance of Maitreya’s inquiry in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse formalizes the disciple’s request: Maitreya, driven by sincere curiosity, asks the dharma-authority Parāśara to give an ordered explanation, establishing the text’s teaching as a guided transmission.

How does Sage Parasara explain spiritual and cosmic concepts in this dialogue framework?

The Purana proceeds as a question-and-answer exposition: Maitreya asks, and Parāśara—presented as the foremost upholder of dharma—responds with authoritative teachings that connect theology, cosmology, and ethical order.

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

Although Vishnu is not named in this specific verse, the request initiates Parāśara’s Vishnu-centered teaching, where cosmic order and dharma ultimately rest on the Supreme Reality identified with Vishnu.