Shloka 3

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

संदेहनिर्णयार्थाय वेदव्यासं महामुनिम् ययुस् ते संशयं प्रष्टुं मैत्रेय मुनिपुंगवाः

Transliteration

saṃdehanirṇayārthāya vedavyāsaṃ mahāmunim yayus te saṃśayaṃ praṣṭuṃ maitreya munipuṃgavāḥ

Translation

To settle their uncertainty, those foremost among sages went to the great seer Veda-Vyāsa, to question him and have their doubt resolved, O Maitreya.

Word by Word

• संदेहनिर्णयार्थाय: for the purpose of deciding the doubt
• संदेहनिर्णयार्थाय: सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्णय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (संदेहस्य निर्णयः तस्य अर्थः = हेतु/प्रयोजनम्)

• वेदव्यासम्: Vedavyāsa
• वेदव्यासम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदानां व्यासः)

• महामुनिम्: the great sage
• महामुनिम्: कर्म (Appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् मुनिः)

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु: ‘to go’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• प्रष्टुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- (उपसर्ग) + प्रच्छ् (धातु: ‘to ask’) + तुमुन् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मुनिपुंगवाः: bulls among sages / foremost sages
• मुनिपुंगवाः: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां पुंगवाः = श्रेष्ठाः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How sages approached Vyāsa to resolve doubt about yuga-dharma; narration addressed to Maitreya

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Doubts are resolved by approaching a great seer and asking with the intent of discernment (nirṇaya), not mere disputation.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: When confused about practice, consult authentic teachers/texts and pose clear questions aimed at transformation, not argument.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the necessity of ācārya-upāsanā and śāstra-guided understanding as part of the path to the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Veda-Vyāsa
• Maitreya
• Sages (munipuṅgavāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of resolving doubt (saṃdeha-nirṇaya) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames sacred learning as a disciplined inquiry: doubts are not dismissed but taken to an authoritative source (Vyāsa) for clarification, preserving right understanding of dharma and cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara present the teaching method in this context?

Parāśara emphasizes a lineage-based method: exemplary sages seek Vyāsa, and the narrative to Maitreya models how knowledge is transmitted—through question, answer, and verified authority.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the move toward Vyāsa signals alignment with the Purāṇic authority that ultimately clarifies Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty and the correct vision of reality upheld in the text.