Shloka 4

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

ददृशुस् ते मुनिं तत्र जाह्नवीसलिले द्विज वेदव्यासं महाभागम् अर्धस्नातं सुतं मम

Transliteration

dadṛśus te muniṃ tatra jāhnavīsalile dvija vedavyāsaṃ mahābhāgam ardhasnātaṃ sutaṃ mama

Translation

There, O twice-born one, they beheld that sage in the waters of the Jahnavī (the Ganga)—the venerable Vedavyāsa, most illustrious, only half-bathed—my own son.

Word by Word

• ददृशुः: they saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nominative plural)

• मुनिम्: the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• जाह्नवीसलिले: in the waters of the Jahnavi (Ganga)
• जाह्नवीसलिले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (vocative singular)

• वेदव्यासम्: Vedavyasa
• वेदव्यासम्: Karma/Apposition (कर्म/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• महाभागम्: the illustrious one
• महाभागम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc acc sg) — ‘महाभागः’ = very fortunate/illustrious

• अर्धस्नातम्: half-bathed
• अर्धस्नातम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नात (कृदन्त, √स्ना, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc acc sg; ‘half-bathed/partly bathed’)

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma/Apposition (कर्म/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kali-yuga characteristics and the logic of praise/blame in the age of dissolution

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Characters & Entities

• Jahnavi (Ganga)
• Vedavyasa
• Sage Parasara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the Jahnavī (Ganga) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The Jahnavī serves as a consecrated narrative space where sages appear and teachings are transmitted, underscoring purity, continuity of dharma, and the sanctity of revelation in the Kali Yuga setting.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the identity of Vedavyāsa here?

Parāśara identifies Vedavyāsa directly as an illustrious sage seen in the Ganga and explicitly calls him “my son,” anchoring the episode in an authoritative genealogical and teacher-lineage context.

What is the theological importance of mentioning Vyāsa in this context?

Invoking Vyāsa highlights the divine safeguarding of sacred knowledge—through compilation and transmission—so that devotion and right order can endure even as the Kali Yuga advances.