Shloka 20

वेदव्यासः, चातुर्होत्रम्, ऋग्वेदशाखाः

Vyāsa’s Veda-division and Ṛgveda lineages

Devanagari script

तस्य शिष्यप्रशिष्येभ्यः पुत्रशिष्यान् क्रमाद् ययौ

Transliteration

tasya śiṣyapraśiṣyebhyaḥ putraśiṣyān kramād yayau

Translation

Mula sa kanya, sa wastong pagkakasunod, nagpatuloy ang tradisyon—mula sa mga alagad tungo sa mga alagad ng mga alagad, at saka unti-unti sa mga alagad ng kanyang mga anak.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शिष्यप्रशिष्येभ्यः: from (his) disciples and grand-disciples
• शिष्यप्रशिष्येभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: ‘शिष्याः च प्रशिष्याः च’

• पुत्रशिष्यान्: sons and disciples
• पुत्रशिष्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: ‘पुत्राः च शिष्याः च’

• क्रमात्: in due order / successively
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner adverb/रीति-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-न्यायेन प्रयोगः; मूलतः ‘क्रम’ शब्दस्य पञ्चमी/तृतीया-एकवचनरूपवत् अव्ययप्रयोगः (adverb): ‘क्रमेण’

• ययौ: went / passed on
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the tradition continued beyond a single teacher—mechanics of succession across generations

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tradition endures through orderly succession (krama) across generations, not through isolated brilliance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Build sustainable learning communities—document, mentor, and train successors to preserve integrity over time.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasizes communal, embodied transmission of śāstra as the support for enduring devotion and right knowledge of the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Disciples
• Grand-disciples
• Sons (as lineage-bearers)

FAQs

What is the significance of guru-paramparā (teacher–disciple succession) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that sacred knowledge is preserved through an ordered chain—disciples, grand-disciples, and the next generation—ensuring continuity of dharma and authoritative transmission.

How does Sage Parāśara explain continuity of tradition in this context?

Parāśara frames continuity as sequential (kramāt): the teaching does not remain with one person but proceeds through structured lineages of students and family-linked disciples.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the verse supports a key Purāṇic idea: the cosmic order (dharma) and its knowledge endure through regulated succession—an expression of the Lord’s sustaining sovereignty.