Shloka 1

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

व्यासश् चाह महाबुद्धिर् यद् अत्रैव हि वस्तुनि तच् छ्रूयतां महाभाग गदतो मम तत्त्वतः

Transliteration

vyāsaś cāha mahābuddhir yad atraiva hi vastuni tac chrūyatāṃ mahābhāga gadato mama tattvataḥ

Translation

And the great-minded Vyāsa said: “O highly fortunate one, listen to what pertains to this very matter; I shall declare it to you in accordance with the truth.”

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आह: said
• आह: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु: ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महाबुद्धिः: the great-intellect (one)
• महाबुद्धिः: कर्तृविशेषण (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महती बुद्धिः यस्य)

• यत्: which/that which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: देशाधिकरण (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphasis/causal)

• वस्तुनि: in the matter/topic
• वस्तुनि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object of ‘श्रूयताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (correlative)

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard / please listen
• श्रूयताम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive imperative: ‘let it be heard’)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• गदतः: of (me) speaking
• गदतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु: ‘to speak’) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle); षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (genitive: ‘of me speaking’)

• मम: my/of me
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• तत्त्वतः: truly/in essence
• तत्त्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb: ‘in truth/essentially’)

Speaker

Sage Vyasa

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transition to an embedded narration: Vyāsa’s truthful instruction regarding the debated matter

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True teaching (tattvataḥ) is to be heard with attentive receptivity from a qualified knower.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek reliable sources and listen with disciplined attention before forming conclusions about dharma and practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasis on pramāṇa (śāstra) mediated through an ācārya-like authority, aligning knowledge with devotion and right practice.

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa

FAQs

What is the significance of this opening statement in Ansha 6, Adhyaya 2 of the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a formal narrative pivot: Vyāsa frames the upcoming teaching as a truthful, focused exposition of the topic at hand—setting an authoritative tone for the Kali-yuga discussion.

How does the Vishnu Purana establish authority for teachings on Kali-yuga?

By placing the instruction in the mouth of Vyāsa—presented as mahābuddhi (of great intellect)—the text signals that the account is to be received as a reliable transmission ‘tattvataḥ’ (in accordance with reality).

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the Sixth Book’s teachings ultimately situate Kali-yuga and cosmic decline within Vishnu’s sovereign order—where time-cycles unfold under the Supreme Reality’s governance.