Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

दत्तं प्रमतिना चैव जातूकर्णाय धीमते जातूकर्णेन चैवोक्तम् अन्येषां पुण्यशालिनाम्

Transliteration

dattaṃ pramatinā caiva jātūkarṇāya dhīmate jātūkarṇena caivoktam anyeṣāṃ puṇyaśālinām

Translation

Pramati bestowed it upon the wise Jātūkarṇa; and Jātūkarṇa, in turn, declared it onward to other virtuous bearers of merit.

Word by Word

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (given)

• प्रमतिना: by Pramati
• प्रमतिना: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

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

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (restrictive particle)

• जातूकर्णाय: to Jātūkarṇa
• जातूकर्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातूकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (Dative singular)

• धीमते: to the wise (one)
• धीमते: Sampradana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying जातूकर्णाय)

• जातूकर्णेन: by Jātūkarṇa
• जातूकर्णेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातूकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

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

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

• उक्तम्: was spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (said)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• पुण्यशालिनाम्: of the virtuous
• पुण्यशालिनाम्: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यशालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (पुण्यं शालते/अस्त्यस्य → पुण्यशालिन्); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अन्येषाम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The onward spread of the teaching among meritorious sages

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: encouraging

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Spiritual instruction should be entrusted to the dhīmat (wise) and puṇyaśālin (ethically grounded), for purity of conduct sustains purity of insight.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize character and steadiness alongside study; choose communities that cultivate both learning and virtue.

Vishishtadvaita: Right conduct (dharma) supports right devotion to the personal Supreme, aligning knowledge with loving surrender rather than mere abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pramati
• Jātūkarṇa
• Punyaśālinaḥ (virtuous sages/recipients)

FAQs

What is the significance of paramparā (lineage transmission) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that dharmic knowledge is preserved by being passed from one qualified sage to another—Pramati to Jātūkarṇa—ensuring continuity and reliability of tradition.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the spread of dharma through sages?

He presents it as a chain of entrusted teaching: a wise recipient receives it and then teaches other meritorious persons, showing dharma as a living, transmitted heritage.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the Purana frames dharma and its orderly transmission as part of Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic governance—knowledge endures through the moral fitness of its transmitters.