Shloka 42

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

इदम् आर्षं पुरा प्राह ऋभवे कमलोद्भवः ऋभुः प्रियव्रतायाह स च भागुरये ऽब्रवीत्

Transliteration

idam ārṣaṃ purā prāha ṛbhave kamalodbhavaḥ ṛbhuḥ priyavratāyāha sa ca bhāguraye 'bravīt

Translation

Long ago, the Lotus-born (Brahmā) imparted this primordial seers’ teaching to Ṛbhu. Ṛbhu taught it to Priyavrata, and Priyavrata in turn declared it to Bhāguri.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ārṣam: ṛṣi-tradition, sacred
• ārṣam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'idam' इति विशेषणम् (pertaining to ṛṣis)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ṛbhave: to Ṛbhu
• ṛbhave: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• kamala: lotus
• kamala: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; 'lotus'

• udbhavaḥ: born/arisen
• udbhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासोत्तरपद

• ṛbhuḥ: Ṛbhu
• ṛbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• priyavratāya: to Priyavrata
• priyavratāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyavrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• sa: he
• sa: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• bhāguraye: to Bhāguri
• bhāguraye: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāguri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: paramparā (rightful lineage) of this ārṣa doctrine/Purāṇa and its authority

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇic teaching is validated through an unbroken seers’ lineage beginning with Brahmā, establishing its authority (prāmāṇya) and sanctity.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek learning within authentic teaching lineages; honor sources and transmit teachings responsibly without distortion.

Vishishtadvaita: Revelation is mediated through divinely ordered teachers; the Lord as jagat-kāraṇa empowers Brahmā (secondary creator) to transmit sacred knowledge.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: śruti-paramparā (guardianship of sacred teaching)

Key Kings: Priyavrata

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Kamalodbhava)
• Ṛbhu
• Priyavrata
• Bhāguratha (Bhāgura)

FAQs

What is the significance of the term “ārṣa” in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It marks the teaching as ṛṣi-derived (seer-sanctioned) and thus authoritative, emphasizing that the Purāṇic knowledge is preserved through an authentic lineage rather than personal invention.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the preservation of sacred knowledge here?

By tracing a clear chain of transmission—Brahmā to Ṛbhu to Priyavrata to Bhāguratha—Parāśara shows that the doctrine is safeguarded through disciplined succession (paramparā).

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse names Brahmā and human-sage transmitters, the Vishnu Purana’s framework treats true cosmic knowledge as grounded in the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) and maintained in the world through divinely ordered succession and righteous kingship.