Shloka 1

मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च

Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach

Devanagari script

पराशरं मुनिवरं कृतपूर्वाह्णिकक्रियम् मैत्रेयः परिपप्रच्छ प्रणिपत्याभिवाद्य च

Transliteration

parāśaraṃ munivaraṃ kṛtapūrvāhṇikakriyam maitreyaḥ paripapraccha praṇipatyābhivādya ca

Translation

弥勒耶先俯伏顶礼，恭敬致敬，随后请问已完成晨间仪轨的上首圣者帕罗沙罗。

Word by Word

• पराशरम्: Parāśara
• पराशरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मुनिवरम्: best of sages
• मुनिवरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनिनां वरः)

• कृतपूर्वाह्णिकक्रियम्: who had performed the morning rites
• कृतपूर्वाह्णिकक्रियम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + पूर्वाह्निक (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; समासः (पूर्वाह्णिकस्य क्रिया) तत्पुरुष, तदन्ते कृत (कृतपूर्वाह्णिकक्रियः)

• मैत्रेयः: Maitreya
• मैत्रेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (inquired)
• परिपप्रच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिप्रश्नार्थे भूत/परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, Active, 3rd person singular; उपसर्गः परि-

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालक्रिया — Absolutive (having bowed down)

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• अभिवाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-वद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालक्रिया — Absolutive (having saluted)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात — Conjunction/particle

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Pauraṇika voice introducing the dialogue); action performed by Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Initiating inquiry after formal salutations; request for systematic teaching that will unfold the order of the world and supreme sovereignty

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of Maitreya bowing and saluting before asking his questions in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes the guru–disciple discipline: knowledge of cosmic order is received through humility, reverence, and proper approach, setting the tone for authoritative teaching.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Purāṇic teachings—what is the dialogue structure implied here?

This verse signals a formal samvāda (dialogue) where Maitreya’s questions become the organizing thread, and Parāśara’s answers deliver the Purāṇa’s cosmology, theology, and dynastic history.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, it initiates the inquiry that culminates in Vishnu being presented as the supreme ground of creation, preservation, and the moral order governing time-cycles and beings.