asmin - in this; api - also; antare - rule of Manu; brahman - O brāhmaṇa (Śaunaka); bhagavān - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; loka - of the universe; bhāvanaḥ - the protector; brahma - by Brahmā; īśa - Śiva; ādyaiḥ - and the others; loka-pālaiḥ - the rulers of the various planets; yācitaḥ - requested; dharma-guptaye - for the protection of the principles of religion; parāśarāt - by Parāśara Muni; satyavatyām - in the womb of Satyavatī; amśa - of His plenary expansion (Saṅkarṣaṇa); amśa - of the expansion (Viṣṇu); kalayā - as the partial expansion; vibhuḥ - the Lord; avatīrṇaḥ - descended; mahā-bhāga - O most fortunate one; vedam - the Veda; cakre - he made; catuḥ-vidham - in four parts.

O brāhmaṇa, in the present age of Vaivasvata Manu, the leaders of the universe, led by Brahmā and Śiva, requested the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the protector of all the worlds, to save the principles of religion. O most fortunate Śaunaka, the almighty Lord, exhibiting a divine spark of a portion of His plenary portion, then appeared in the womb of Satyavatī as the son of Parāśara. In this form, named Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, he divided the one Veda into four.