Shloka 52

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्न् एव महायज्ञो जज्ञे प्राज्ञो ऽथ मागधः प्रोक्तौ तदा मुनिवरैस् ताव् उभौ सूतमागधौ

Transliteration

tasminn eva mahāyajño jajñe prājño 'tha māgadhaḥ proktau tadā munivarais tāv ubhau sūtamāgadhau

Translation

అదే యజ్ఞకర్మ నుండే ఒక మహాయజ్ఞనిపుణుడు, ప్రాజ్ఞుడు జన్మించాడు; అతడు ‘మాగధుడు’ అని ప్రసిద్ధి పొందాడు. అప్పుడు మునివరులు ఆ ఇద్దరినీ ‘సూత’ మరియు ‘మాగధ’ అని ప్రకటించి, స్మరణ-స్తుతులకు నియమిత వాణిగా నియోగించారు.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (occasion)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (loc. sg.)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• महायज्ञः: a great sacrifice
• महायज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• जज्ञे: was born / arose
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (perf. 3rd sg.)

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. nom. sg.)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/sequence marker)

• मागधः: the Māgadha (bard)
• मागधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• प्रोक्तौ: were proclaimed/appointed (the two)
• प्रोक्तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु; कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle, dual)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मुनिवरैः: by the best of sages
• मुनिवरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करणम्/कर्तृ-करण (agent/instrument) (masc. instr. pl.)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन (masc. nom. du.)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन (masc. nom. du.)

• सूतमागधौ: the Sūta and the Māgadha (the two bards)
• सूतमागधौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक) + मागध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (masc. nom. du.)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The tradition authorizes specialized custodians of remembrance (Sūta) and praise/genealogical proclamation (Māgadha) to sustain dharma through sacred speech.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support truthful storytelling and responsible historiography; let praise be anchored in virtue and public good rather than flattery.

Vishishtadvaita: Sacred speech (vāṅmaya) functioning within dharma is a mode of service to the Lord’s order, aligning communal memory with the divine purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Munis)
• Sūta
• Māgadha
• Mahāyajña (great sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sūta and Māgadha in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents them as dharmically sanctioned roles—voices appointed by sages to preserve and proclaim praise, memory, and lineage within the sacred-social order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the establishment of social functions here?

He frames it as arising from and being confirmed through yajña: the rite generates (or reveals) roles, and the sages formally designate them, integrating vocation with dharma.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s view is that dharma and cosmic order are upheld through divinely grounded institutions—yajña and its offices operate within Vishnu’s sovereign governance of the world.