Shloka 16

वेदव्यासः, चातुर्होत्रम्, ऋग्वेदशाखाः

Vyāsa’s Veda-division and Ṛgveda lineages

Devanagari script

बिभेद प्रथमं विप्र पैल ऋग्वेदपादपम् इन्द्रप्रमतये प्रादाद् बाष्कलाय च संहिते

Transliteration

bibheda prathamaṃ vipra paila ṛgvedapādapam indrapramataye prādād bāṣkalāya ca saṃhite

Translation

首先，婆罗门啊，派罗分解了《梨俱吠陀》之大树；并将其两部《本集》分别授予因陀罗普罗摩提与婆什迦罗，使吠陀传承井然。

Word by Word

• बिभेद: divided
• बिभेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययार्थे — adverbial accusative ('first')

• विप्र: O sage/brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पैल: O Paila
• पैल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ऋग्वेदपादपम्: the branch/tree of the Ṛgveda
• ऋग्वेदपादपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक् + वेद + पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इन्द्रप्रमतये: to Indrapramati
• इन्द्रप्रमतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + प्रमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Feminine, Dative, Singular

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (आगमयुक्त-अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Aorist, 3rd person, Singular

• बाष्कलाय: to Bāṣkala
• बाष्कलाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• संहिते: the two Saṃhitās (collections)
• संहिते: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Dual (two Saṃhitās)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Lineage of Vedic transmission: Paila’s division of Ṛgveda and the gifting of Saṃhitās to Indrapramati and Bāṣkala

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śruti endures through disciplined division and entrusted transmission within qualified teacher-disciple lineages.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Preserve core teachings by learning from authentic lineages, maintaining accuracy, and passing knowledge responsibly rather than casually disseminating it.

Vishishtadvaita: Paramparā as a real, embodied medium of divine knowledge—unity of revelation maintained through differentiated custodians (śākhā-holders).

Characters & Entities

• Paila
• Rigveda (Ṛgveda)
• Indrapramati
• Bāṣkala
• Saṃhitā

FAQs

What is the significance of dividing the Ṛgveda in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Veda-vibhāga as a deliberate structuring of sacred knowledge so it can be preserved, taught, and practiced reliably across ages—supporting dharma and social-spiritual order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the transmission of Vedic knowledge here?

Parāśara describes a lineage-based handover: Paila first organizes the Ṛgveda and then entrusts specific Saṃhitās to named custodians (Indrapramati and Bāṣkala), emphasizing disciplined paramparā rather than random diffusion.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such ordering of the Vedas as part of cosmic governance—where the Supreme Reality sustains dharma by ensuring that revealed knowledge remains accessible through authorized lineages.