Shloka 20
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
अहं चतुर्थ: शिष्यो वै पञ्चमश्न शुकः स्मृत: । सुमन्तु, जैमिनि, दृढ़तापूर्वक उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले पैल--इन तीनके सिवा व्यासजीका चौथा शिष्य मैं ही हूँ और पाँचवें शिष्य उनके पुत्र शुकदेव माने गये हैं ।।
ahaṃ caturthaḥ śiṣyo vai pañcamaś ca śukaḥ smṛtaḥ | sumantuḥ jaiminiḥ pailaś ca—ete trayo vinā—vyāsasya caturthaśiṣyo 'ham eva, pañcamaśiṣyaḥ punar asya putraḥ śukadevaḥ manyate || etān samāgatān sarvān pañca śiṣyān damānvitān ||
毗舍波耶那说：“我被记为第四弟子，而舒迦为第五。除那三位——苏曼图、阇弥尼与毗罗，皆坚守至上誓戒——之外，唯我为毗耶娑的第四弟子；其子舒迦提婆被奉为第五。”随后他又说到那五位弟子齐集一处，皆具自制之德。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the authority of disciplined teacher–student succession: sacred knowledge is preserved through a recognized lineage marked by vows (vrata) and self-restraint (dama), not merely by personal claim.
Vaiśaṃpāyana identifies himself within Vyāsa’s circle of disciples, naming the five principal students—Sumantu, Jaimini, Paila, himself, and Śukadeva—and notes their disciplined character as the basis for reliable transmission.