Shloka 28

Sṛṣṭi-krama: Brahmā’s Sequential Creation of Devas, Sages, and Sense-Presiding Powers

Devanagari script

निर्ममे प्रवहं वायुं कनिष्ठाङ्गुलिपर्वतः / दशवर्षानन्तरं तु प्रवाहीं निर्ममे प्रभुः

Transliteration

nirmame pravahaṃ vāyuṃ kaniṣṭhāṅguliparvataḥ / daśavarṣānantaraṃ tu pravāhīṃ nirmame prabhuḥ

Translation

من مفصل الخنصر صاغ الربُّ الريحَ المتحركة مجرىً للسريان؛ ثم بعد عشر سنين أعاد السيّدُ الأعلى خلقَ التيار الجاري (برفاهي).

Word by Word

• निर्ममे: created/made
• निर्ममे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रवहम्: flowing/streaming
• प्रवहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वायुम्: wind
• वायुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कनिष्ठ-अङ्गुलि-पर्वतः: from the joint of the little finger
• कनिष्ठ-अङ्गुलि-पर्वतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कनिष्ठायाः अङ्गुलेः पर्वतः’ (from the joint of the little finger)

• दश-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: after ten years
• दश-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; ‘दशवर्षेभ्यः अनन्तरम्’ (after ten years)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• प्रवाहीम्: flowing (fem.)
• प्रवाहीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवाही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (flowing)

• निर्ममे: created/made
• निर्ममे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation proceeds from the Lord through subtle channels (vāyu/pravāha) and measured time, indicating an ordered cosmology.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi and kāla as a dependent principle; the manifest arises from the unmanifest Lord.

Application: Contemplate impermanence and order of time; cultivate reverence for prāṇa/vāyu as a divine function and live with disciplined rhythm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.13 (cosmogonic/time-measure sequence continuing through subsequent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Lord (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘vāyu’ (wind/prāṇa) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights vāyu as a divinely fashioned ‘flow’—a key subtle force that supports movement and transition, which is central to descriptions of the preta’s post-death journey.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing ‘flow’ (pravaha/pravāhī) created by the Lord, the verse points to an ordered subtle mechanism—currents of prāṇa and movement—through which embodied and post-embodied states are sustained.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat breath and life-force as sacred: maintain purity, self-control, and calmness—supporting dharma and mental steadiness, which Garuda Purana repeatedly links with a smoother transition at death.