Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 19

Secondary Creation Begins: Brahmā’s Productions, the Guṇas, and the Emergence of Orders of Beings

Devanagari script

विससर्जात्मन: कायं नाभिनन्दंस्तमोमयम् । जगृहुर्यक्षरक्षांसि रात्रिं क्षुत्तृट्‌समुद्भवाम् ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

visasarjātmanaḥ kāyaṁ nābhinandaṁs tamomayam jagṛhur yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rātriṁ kṣut-tṛṭ-samudbhavām

Translation

Out of disgust, Brahmā threw off the body of ignorance, and taking this opportunity, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas sprang for possession of the body, which continued to exist in the form of night. Night is the source of hunger and thirst.

Synonyms

• विससर्ज: sent forth; emitted
• विससर्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• कायम्: body
• कायम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Upapada (उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अभिनन्दन्: not approving; not welcoming
• अभिनन्दन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + नन्द् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘(सः) अभिनन्दन्’

• तमोमयम्: made of darkness; dark
• तमोमयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘तमोमयः’ = तमसा मयः/तमः-प्रधानः

• जगृहुः: they seized; took
• जगृहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• यक्ष-रक्षांसि: Yakṣas and Rākṣasas
• यक्ष-रक्षांसि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (itaretara)—‘यक्षाश्च रक्षांसि च’

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षुत्-तृट्-समुद्भवाम्: arisen from hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्-तृट्-समुद्भवाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तृट् (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘क्षुत्तृट्समुद्भवा’ = क्षुत्-तृट्-समुद्भवात्/समुद्भूता (arising from hunger and thirst)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the origin of Yakshas and Rakshasas?

In Canto 3, Chapter 20, this verse explains that Yakṣas and Rākṣasas manifested from a discarded, tamo-guṇa (ignorance-filled) body of Brahmā, indicating their association with tamas.

Why does the Bhagavatam connect night with hunger and thirst?

This verse states that when the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas arose, night also manifested along with hunger and thirst, symbolizing the tamasic conditions where desire and bodily demands become prominent.

Practical application: what can devotees learn from this verse about tamas (ignorance)?

The verse teaches that tamas produces darkness, restlessness, and bodily cravings; a devotee can counteract it through sāttvika habits, regulated life, and bhakti practices like hearing and chanting.