Chapter 4
अध्यायः 4
Pada I — Prakriyā, Chapter 4
Shlokas (34)
+ Add ShlokaConstitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 1
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 1
आत्मन्यवस्थिते व्यक्ते विकारे प्रतिसंहते। साधर्म्येणावतिष्ठेते प्रधानपुरुषौ तदा।।
ātmanyavasthite vyakte vikāre pratisaṃhate| sādharmyeṇāvatiṣṭhete pradhānapuruṣau tadā||
Sūta said: When the unmanifest one is stationed within, itself and when the effect (universe) had been withdrawn, the Pradhāna and Puruṣa remain with their similarity of characteristics (retained).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 2
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 2
तमःसत्त्व गुणावेतौ समत्वेन व्यवस्थितौ। अनुद्रिक्तावनुचरौ तेन प्रोक्तौ परस्परम।।
tamaḥsattva guṇāvetau samatvena vyavasthitau| anudriktāvanucarau tena proktau parasparam||
Sūta said: These two have Tamas and Sattva guṇas. They are stationed on a par with each other. Hence they are said to be mutual pursuers. They are not excessive (in the manifestation of the Guṇas).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 3
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 3
गुणसाम्ये लयो ज्ञेय आधिक्ये सृष्टिरुच्यते। सत्त्ववृद्धौ स्थितिरभूद ध्रुवं पद्म शिखास्थितम।।
guṇasāmye layo jñeya ādhikye sṛṣṭirucyate| sattvavṛddhau sthitirabhūd dhruvaṃ padma śikhāsthitam||
Sūta said: Laya (Dissolution) should be understood to occur when Guṇas are in equilibrium. It is called creation when there is predominance (of one Guṇa over the other.)
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 4
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 4
यदा तमसि सत्त्वे च रजोप्यनुगतं स्थितम। रजः प्रवर्तकं तच्च बीजेष्विव यथा जलम।।
yadā tamasi sattve ca rajopyanugataṃ sthitam| rajaḥ pravartakaṃ tacca bījeṣviva yathā jalam||
Sūta said: When Rajas closely follows and stations itself in Tamas and Sattva, it is the Rajas that causes the other things to function in the same way as in the case of the water causing the seeds to function.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 5
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 5
गुणा वैषम्यमासाद्य प्रसंगेन प्रतिष्ठिताः। गुणेभ्यः क्षोभ्यमाणेभ्यस्त्रयो ज्ञेया हि सादरे।।
guṇā vaiṣamyamāsādya prasaṃgena pratiṣṭhitāḥ| guṇebhyaḥ kṣobhyamāṇebhyastrayo jñeyā hi sādare||
Sūta said: The Guṇas assume inequality and they become stabilized casually. It should be known that three (divinities) were born out of the Guṇas which are agitated.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 6
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 6
शाश्वताः परमा गुह्याः सर्वात्मानः शरीरिणः। सत्त्वं विष्णू रजो ब्रह्मा तमो रुद्रः प्रजापतिः।।
śāśvatāḥ paramā guhyāḥ sarvātmānaḥ śarīriṇaḥ| sattvaṃ viṣṇū rajo brahmā tamo rudraḥ prajāpatiḥ||
Sūta said: They are eternal, extremely mysterious; the souls of everyone and embodied; the Sattva qualily is Viṣṇu; the Rajas is Brahmā and the Tamas is Rudra, the Prajāpati.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 7
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 7
रजःप्रकाशकोविष्णुर्ब्रह्मस्रष्टृत्वमाप्नुयात। जायते च यतश्चत्रा लोकसृष्टिर्महोजसः।।
rajaḥprakāśakoviṣṇurbrahmasraṣṭṛtvamāpnuyāt| jāyate ca yataścatrā lokasṛṣṭirmahojasaḥ||
Sūta said: Viṣṇu the enlightener and revealer of the Rajas becomes Brahmā, and attains the status of the creator. It is from him that being of great vitality that the variety of creation of the worlds, takes its origin.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 8
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 8
तमःप्रकाशको विष्णुः कालत्वेन व्यवस्थितः। सत्त्वप्रकाशको विष्णुः स्थितित्वेन व्यवस्थितः।।
tamaḥprakāśako viṣṇuḥ kālatvena vyavasthitaḥ| sattvaprakāśako viṣṇuḥ sthititvena vyavasthitaḥ||
Sūta said: Viṣṇu as the enlightener and revealer of the Tamas stands separate in the from of Kāla (Time).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 9
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 9
एत एव त्रयो लोका एत एव त्रयो गुणाः। एत एव त्रयो वेदा एत एव त्रजो ऽग्नयः।।
eta eva trayo lokā eta eva trayo guṇāḥ| eta eva trayo vedā eta eva trajo 'gnayaḥ||
Sūta said: These alone are the three worlds; these alone are the three Guṇas; these alone are the three Vedas; these alone are the three sacred fires.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 10
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 10
परस्परान्वया ह्येते परस्परमनुव्रताः। परस्परेण वर्तन्ते प्रेरयन्ति परस्परम।।
parasparānvayā hyete parasparamanuvratāḥ| paraspareṇa vartante prerayanti parasparam||
Sūta said: These have mutual inter-association; these are mutually attached; they exist by mutual help and they impel inter se.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 11
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 11
अन्योन्यं मिथुनं ह्येते अन्योन्यमुपजीविनः। क्षणं वियोगो न ह्येषां न त्यजन्ति परस्परम।।
anyonyaṃ mithunaṃ hyete anyonyamupajīvinaḥ| kṣaṇaṃ viyogo na hyeṣāṃ na tyajanti parasparam||
Sūta said: These are mutually coupled; these are mutually interdependent; these do not become separated even for a moment; they do not abandon each other.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 12
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 12
प्रधानगुणवैषम्यात्सर्गकाले प्रवर्त्तते। अदृष्टाधिष्ठितात्पूर्वे तस्मात्सदसदात्मकात।।
pradhānaguṇavaiṣamyātsargakāle pravarttate| adṛṣṭādhiṣṭhitātpūrve tasmātsadasadātmakāt||
Sūta said: As a result of the unevenness of the Guṇas, the Pradhāna begins to function at the time of creation. At the outset it begins to function (from that Avyakta) of the nature of Sat and Asat and presided over by Adṛṣṭa (the unmanifest).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 13
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 13
ब्रह्मा बुद्धित्वमिथुनं युगपत्संबभूव ह। तस्मात्तमोव्यक्तमयं क्षेत्रज्ञो ब्रह्मसंज्ञकः।।
brahmā buddhitvamithunaṃ yugapatsaṃbabhūva ha| tasmāttamovyaktamayaṃ kṣetrajño brahmasaṃjñakaḥ||
Sūta said: The pair Brahmā and Buddhi (Cosmic intellect) took their origin simultaneously from that (Pradhāna) of the nature of Tamas and unmanifestness. The Kṣetrajña (and) that which is (also) named Brahmā (was born from that pair).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 14
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 14
संसिद्धकार्यकरणो ब्रह्मग्रे समवर्त्तत। तेजसाप्रतिमो धीमानव्यक्तः संप्रकाशकः।।
saṃsiddhakāryakaraṇo brahmagre samavarttata| tejasāpratimo dhīmānavyaktaḥ saṃprakāśakaḥ||
Sūta said: Fully equipped with Kārya (effect?) and Karaṇa (the instruments; the sense-organs) Brahmā appeared (existed) at the outset. He was unparalleled in lustre, intelligent, unmanifest but excellent enlightener (revealer).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 15
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 15
स वै शरीरप्रथमो धारणत्वव्यवस्थितः। ज्ञानेनाप्रतिमेनेह वैराग्येण च सप्ततिः।।
sa vai śarīraprathamo dhāraṇatvavyavasthitaḥ| jñānenāpratimeneha vairāgyeṇa ca saptatiḥ||
Sūta said: (Defective text). He is the first embodied being stabilised in retention. He is endowed with unequalled knowledge and absence of passionate attachment.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 16
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 16
अव्यक्तत्वाय तेनास्य मनसा यद्यदिच्छति। वशीकृतत्वात्त्रैगुण्यात्सापेक्षत्वाच्च भावतः।।
avyaktatvāya tenāsya manasā yadyadicchati| vaśīkṛtatvāttraiguṇyātsāpekṣatvācca bhāvataḥ||
Sūta said: On account of his being unmanifest and because he had kept (everything) under control, since these are three Guṇas and because all evolved beings are interdependent, (Brahmā attains) whatever he desires mentally.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 17
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 17
चतुर्मुखस्तु ब्रह्मत्वे कालत्वे चान्तकृद्भवः। सहस्रमूर्धा पुरुषस्तिस्रो ऽवस्थाःस्वयंभुवः।।
caturmukhastu brahmatve kālatve cāntakṛdbhavaḥ| sahasramūrdhā puruṣastisro 'vasthāḥsvayaṃbhuvaḥ||
Sūta said: The self-born deity has three states: He has four faces as Brahmā; as Kāla (God of Death) he is Bhava, the destroyer; (as Viṣṇu) he is the Puruṣa with thousand heads.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 18
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 18
सर्वं रजश्च ब्रह्मत्वे कालत्वे चरजस्तमः। सात्त्विकः पुरुषत्वे च गुणवृतं स्वयंभुवः।।
sarvaṃ rajaśca brahmatve kālatve carajastamaḥ| sāttvikaḥ puruṣatve ca guṇavṛtaṃ svayaṃbhuvaḥ||
Sūta said: As Brahmā, he creates the worlds; as Kāla, he annihilates them; as Puruṣa, he is indifferent: these are the three states of the self-born deity.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 19
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 19
ब्रह्मत्वे सृजते लोकान कालत्वे संक्षयत्यपि। पुरुषत्वे उदासीनस्तिस्रो ऽवस्थाः स्वयंभुवः।।
brahmatve sṛjate lokān kālatve saṃkṣayatyapi| puruṣatve udāsīnastisro 'vasthāḥ svayaṃbhuvaḥ||
Sūta said: As Brahmā, he possesses Rajas exclusively; as Kāla he has Rajas and Tamas and as Puruṣa (i.e. Viṣṇu) he is exclusively Sāttvika;—this is the position of the Guṇas in the case of the self-born deity.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 20
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 20
ब्रह्मा कमल पत्राक्षः कालो जात्यञ्जनप्रभः। पुरुषः पुण्डरीकाक्षो रूपेण परमात्मनः।।
brahmā kamala patrākṣaḥ kālo jātyañjanaprabhaḥ| puruṣaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣo rūpeṇa paramātmanaḥ||
Sūta said: Brahmā has eyes like lotus-petals; Kāla has the lustre of collyrium ever since his origin. Puruṣa is lotuseyed with the form of the supreme Ātman.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 21
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 21
एकधा स द्विधा चैव त्रिधा च बहुधा पुनः। योगीश्वरः शरीराणि करोति विकरोतिच।।
ekadhā sa dvidhā caiva tridhā ca bahudhā punaḥ| yogīśvaraḥ śarīrāṇi karoti vikarotica||
Sūta said: He is single. He is two-fold. He is three-fold. Again he is multifold. The lord of Yogins makes and un-makes the physical bodies.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 22
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 22
नानाकृतिक्रियारूपमाश्रयन्तिस्वलीलया। त्रिधा यद्वर्तते लोके तस्मात्र्रिगुण उच्यते।।
nānākṛtikriyārūpamāśrayantisvalīlayā| tridhā yadvartate loke tasmātrriguṇa ucyate||
Sūta said: The physical bodies adopt different kinds of shapes, activities, colours and features. Since he has the pastime of remaining threefold in the world, he is called Triguṇa (one that has three Guṇas).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 23
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 23
चतुर्द्धा प्रविभक्तत्वाच्चतुर्व्यूहः प्रकीर्त्तितः। यदा शेते तदार्धाते यद्भुङ्क्ते विषयान्प्रभुः।।
caturddhā pravibhaktatvāccaturvyūhaḥ prakīrttitaḥ| yadā śete tadārdhāte yadbhuṅkte viṣayānprabhuḥ||
Sūta said: Since he is divided into four, he is glorified as Caturvyūha (one with four arrays). Since at the end of a Parārdha, the lord lies down (sleeps); since the lord enjoys the pleasures of the world, since all living beings always take rest (lie down) normally and comfortably in him, he is defined as Ātman, He is Ṛṣi because he goes everywhere and since the lord enters the physical body.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 24
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 24
यत्स्वस्थाः सततं भावस्तस्मादात्मा निरूच्यते। ऋषिः सर्वगतश्चात्र शरीरे सो ऽभ्ययात्प्रभुः।।
yatsvasthāḥ satataṃ bhāvastasmādātmā nirūcyate| ṛṣiḥ sarvagataścātra śarīre so 'bhyayātprabhuḥ||
Sūta said: Since he is divided into four, he is glorified as Caturvyūha (one with four arrays). Since at the end of a Parārdha, the lord lies down (sleeps); since the lord enjoys the pleasures of the world, since all living beings always take rest (lie down) normally and comfortably in him, he is defined as Ātman, He is Ṛṣi because he goes everywhere and since the lord enters the physical body.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 25
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 25
स्वामी सर्वस्य यत्सर्वंविष्णुः सर्वप्रवेशनात। भगवानग्रसद्भावान्नागो नागस्वसंश्रयात।।
svāmī sarvasya yatsarvaṃviṣṇuḥ sarvapraveśanāt| bhagavānagrasadbhāvānnāgo nāgasvasaṃśrayāt||
Sūta said: He is Sarva (all), because he is the master of all; he is Viṣṇu because he permeates everything. He is Bhagavān, (since) he devoured the Bhāvas (living beings). He is Nāga because no Āgas (i.e. sin) abides in him,
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 26
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 26
परमः संप्रहृष्टत्वाद्देवतादोमिति स्मृतिः। सर्वज्ञः सर्वविज्ञानात्सर्वःसर्वंयतस्ततः।।
paramaḥ saṃprahṛṣṭatvāddevatādomiti smṛtiḥ| sarvajñaḥ sarvavijñānātsarvaḥsarvaṃyatastataḥ||
Sūta said: He is Parana, because he is extremely delighted. Since he has Devatva (state of being God), he is remembered as OM. He is Sarvajña (omniscient) because he knows everything perfectly. He is Sarva because everything originates from him.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 27
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 27
नराणां स्वापनं ब्रह्मा तस्मान्नारायणः स्मृतः। त्रिधा विभज्य चात्मानं सकलः संप्रवर्त्तते।।
narāṇāṃ svāpanaṃ brahmā tasmānnārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ| tridhā vibhajya cātmānaṃ sakalaḥ saṃpravarttate||
Sūta said: Brahmā causes the sleep (i.e. perfect rest) of Maras (men), hence he is remembered as Nārāyaṇa. He functions after dividing himself into three. He is Sakala (having the full complement of digits and parts).
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 28
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 28
सृजते ग्रसते चैव पाल्यते च त्रिभिः स्वयम। सो ऽग्रे हिरण्यगर्भः सन प्रादुर्भूतः स्वयं प्रभुः।।
sṛjate grasate caiva pālyate ca tribhiḥ svayam| so 'gre hiraṇyagarbhaḥ san prādurbhūtaḥ svayaṃ prabhuḥ||
Sūta said: By means of the three (Guṇas), he himself creates, devours and protects. The Prabhu (Lord) himself became Hiraṇyagarbha at the outset and manifested himself.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 29
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 29
आद्यो हि स्ववशश्चैव अजातत्वादजः स्मृतः। तस्माद्धिरण्यगर्भश्च पुराणेषु निरुच्यते।।
ādyo hi svavaśaścaiva ajātatvādajaḥ smṛtaḥ| tasmāddhiraṇyagarbhaśca purāṇeṣu nirucyate||
Sūta said: Indeed he is Ādya (First, foremost) and Svavaśa (having himself under control). He is remembered as Aja because he is not born. Hence he is defined as Hiraṇyagarbha in the Purāṇas.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 30
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 30
स्वयंभुवो निवृत्तस्य कालो वर्णाग्रतस्तु यः। न शक्यः परिसंख्यातुं मनुवर्षशतैरपि।।
svayaṃbhuvo nivṛttasya kālo varṇāgratastu yaḥ| na śakyaḥ parisaṃkhyātuṃ manuvarṣaśatairapi||
Sūta said: He is self-born and receding (?), he is Kāla and the foremost among all the castes. It is not possible to specify him exclusively in the course of hundreds of Manu’s years.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 31
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 31
कल्पसंख्यानिवृत्तस्तु परार्धो ब्रह्मणः स्मृतः। तावत्त्वे सो ऽस्य कालो ऽन्यस्तस्यान्ते प्रतिबुद्ध्यते।।
kalpasaṃkhyānivṛttastu parārdho brahmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ| tāvattve so 'sya kālo 'nyastasyānte pratibuddhyate||
Sūta said: The Parārdha of Brahmā is remembered as being reckoned is so many Kalpas. He has another period of the same duration and he wakes up at the end of that period.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 32
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 32
कोटिवर्षसहस्राणि गृहभूतानि यानि च। समतीतानि कल्पानां तावच्छेषात्परेतु ये।।
koṭivarṣasahasrāṇi gṛhabhūtāni yāni ca| samatītāni kalpānāṃ tāvaccheṣātparetu ye||
Sūta said: Thousands and crores of years that had been the abode of Kalpas have passed by. As many are yet to come.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 33
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 33
यत्स्वयं वर्त्तते कल्पो वाराहस्तन्निबोधत। प्रथमं सांप्रतस्तेषां कल्पो वै वर्त्तते च यः।।
yatsvayaṃ varttate kalpo vārāhastannibodhata| prathamaṃ sāṃpratasteṣāṃ kalpo vai varttate ca yaḥ||
Sūta said: The Kalpa that is current now, is Vārāha, know ye all. It is the first Kalpa and it is the present Kalpa. The Kings should govern till thousand Yugas are completed.
Constitution of the world (The Cosmic Egg) - Verse 34
Brahmanda Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · Chapter 4 · Verse 34
पूर्णे युगसहस्रे तु परिपाल्यं नरेश्वरैः।।
pūrṇe yugasahasre tu paripālyaṃ nareśvaraiḥ||
Sūta said: The Kalpa that is current now, is Vārāha, know ye all. It is the first Kalpa and it is the present Kalpa. The Kings should govern till thousand Yugas are completed.