Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

पातालं समनुप्राप्तस् ततो वेदशिरा मुनिः प्राप्तवान् एतद् अखिलं स वै प्रमतये ददौ

Transliteration

pātālaṃ samanuprāptas tato vedaśirā muniḥ prāptavān etad akhilaṃ sa vai pramataye dadau

Translation

Then, having descended to Pātāla, the sage Vedashiras obtained it all in full, and indeed bestowed it upon Pramati.

Word by Word

• पातालम्: to Pātāla (netherworld)
• पातालम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• समनुप्राप्तः: having reached
• समनुप्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अनु + प्राप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (past participle used actively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (having reached)

• ततः: then / from there
• ततः: Adhikarana (Source/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from there/then)

• वेदशिराः: Vedaśiras (name)
• वेदशिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य शिरः → वेदशिरस्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• प्राप्तवान्: obtained
• प्राप्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप् (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृत् (perfective past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (having obtained)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (Acc./Nom. singular)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying एतत्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphasis)

• प्रमतये: to Pramati
• प्रमतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (Dative singular)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Perfect, 3rd sg.)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the teaching reached human sages from the Nāga realm

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True knowledge may be ‘recovered’ through tapas and fitness, even from hidden realms, and then offered for the welfare of others.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate discipline and humility; use learning in service by sharing responsibly with sincere seekers.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge is a means to surrender to the Supreme; its transmission is an act of grace within the Lord-governed cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vedashiras
• Pramati
• Patala
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the significance of Pātāla in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Pātāla functions as a real cosmic region within Purāṇic geography, showing that sacred knowledge can be recovered even from the deepest realms, reaffirming the cosmos as ordered and accessible to realized sages.

How does Sage Parāśara present the continuity of Vedic knowledge here?

He emphasizes an unbroken chain: a qualified sage (Vedashiras) obtains the complete teaching and transmits it onward (to Pramati), illustrating the paramparā model by which dharma and revelation endure across ages.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the episode supports a core Purāṇic claim: the Supreme Lord’s governance sustains ṛta (universal order) by ensuring the Vedas are preserved and re-established through empowered sages.