Shloka 19
विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)
इत्य् उक्त्वा सो ऽभवन् मौनी तेषां गौरवयन्त्रितः प्रहस्य च पुनः प्राह किम् अनन्तेन साध्व् इति
ity uktvā so 'bhavan maunī teṣāṃ gauravayantritaḥ prahasya ca punaḥ prāha kim anantena sādhv iti
Setelah berkata demikian, dia pun diam, tertahan oleh rasa hormat kepada mereka. Lalu sambil tersenyum dia berkata lagi: “Wahai yang mulia, apa perlunya huraian yang tiada berkesudahan?”
Primary narrator (within Parāśara’s discourse to Maitreya; the immediate 'he' refers to a character in the ongoing genealogical episode of Adhyaya 18)
Concept: Reverence can restrain speech, and wise discourse values brevity—avoiding needless ‘ananta’ (endless) elaboration while preserving meaning.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Speak with humility and economy: pause when emotions rise, then express the essential point without prolixity.
Vishishtadvaita: Models sāttvika communication in devotional communities—restraint (saṃyama) and meaningful brevity support harmony and clarity in bhakti discourse.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse highlights a Purāṇic teaching style: even in vast genealogical narration, the speaker signals that dharmic meaning matters more than exhaustive detail.
Parāśara often frames long historical or cosmological material with narrative cues—silence, restraint, and re-entry into speech—to keep the teaching purposeful for Maitreya.
Even when the verse is not explicitly naming Vishnu, the Purāṇa’s dynastic history is ultimately presented as unfolding under Vishnu’s sovereign order (niyati/dharma), with narration guided toward that larger meaning.