Shloka 9

मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च

Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach

Devanagari script

देवर्षिपार्थिवानां च चरितं यन् महामुने वेदशाखाप्रणयनं यथावद् व्यासकर्तृकम्

Transliteration

devarṣipārthivānāṃ ca caritaṃ yan mahāmune vedaśākhāpraṇayanaṃ yathāvad vyāsakartṛkam

Translation

देवर्षिपार्थिवानां च चरितं यन् महामुने। वेदशाखाप्रणयनं यथावद् व्यासकर्तृकम्॥

Word by Word

• devarṣipārthivānām: of divine sages and kings
• devarṣipārthivānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + ṛṣi + pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'देवर्षयश्च पार्थिवाश्च' (divine sages and kings)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• caritam: deeds, narrative, conduct
• caritam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक; √car (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• yat: which/that
• yat: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-विशेषण (relative pronoun)

• mahāmune: O great sage
• mahāmune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; महांश्चासौ मुनिः (great sage)

• vedaśākhāpraṇayanam: the arrangement/composition of Vedic branches
• vedaśākhāpraṇayanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + śākhā + praṇayana (प्रातिपदिक; √nī (धातु) + प्र उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वेदस्य शाखानां प्रणयनम् (composition/arrangement of Vedic branches)

• yathāvat: properly, duly
• yathāvat: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथावत् = यथायोग्यं/सम्यक् (properly, duly)

• vyāsakartṛkam: done by Vyāsa, authored by Vyāsa
• vyāsakartṛkam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāsa + kartṛka (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यासः कर्ता यस्य तत् (agentive qualifier)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Accounts of divine seers and kings; Vyāsa’s proper redaction/arrangement of Veda branches

Teaching: Historical

Quality: reverent toward śruti-smṛti transmission

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right knowledge is preserved through authorized transmission: Vyāsa’s ordering of Vedic śākhās and the remembered histories of seers and kings sustain dharma across time.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek learning within trustworthy lineages and texts; study with humility, integrating narrative exemplars (itihāsa/purāṇa) with scriptural discipline.

Vishishtadvaita: Scripture and sacred history function as Lord-guided means (upāya) for knowing the Supreme and living dharma within the world.

Characters & Entities

• Devarishis (divine sages)
• Kings (Pārthivas)
• Veda
• Vyāsa

FAQs

What is the significance of mentioning sages and kings in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It defines the Purana’s scope: sacred history is preserved through both rishis (spiritual transmission) and kings (worldly dharma and dynastic continuity).

How does Sage Parāśara’s dialogue structure begin here?

Maitreya frames his inquiry by listing what he seeks to hear; Parāśara’s ensuing narration answers these topics in an ordered, Purana-style exposition.

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

Vyāsa is presented as the authoritative compiler who ordered Vedic knowledge; this establishes the narration as aligned with the highest scriptural tradition that ultimately points to Vishnu’s supreme governance of cosmic and moral order.