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Shloka 37

Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound

मैत्रेय उवाच ऋग्यजु:सामाथर्वाख्यान् वेदान् पूर्वादिभिर्मुखै: । शास्त्रमिज्यां स्तुतिस्तोमं प्रायश्चित्तं व्यधात्क्रमात् ॥ ३७ ॥

maitreya uvāca ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvākhyān vedān pūrvādibhir mukhaiḥ śāstram ijyāṁ stuti-stomaṁ prāyaścittaṁ vyadhāt kramāt

মৈত্রেয় বললেন—ব্রহ্মার অগ্র মুখ থেকে ক্রমে ঋগ্, যজুঃ, সাম ও অথর্ব—এই চার বেদ প্রকাশ পেল। তারপর একে একে শাস্ত্র, যজ্ঞবিধি, স্তুতি-স্তোত্র, স্তোম এবং প্রায়শ্চিত্তও প্রতিষ্ঠিত হল।

मैत्रेयःMaitreya
मैत्रेयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
ऋक्-यजुः-साम-अथर्व-आख्यान्named Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma and Atharva
ऋक्-यजुः-साम-अथर्व-आख्यान्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऋक् (प्रातिपदिक) + यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + सामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अथर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृत्/प्रातिपदिक: ‘आख्यात’ sense)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (enumerative): ‘ऋग्वेद-यजुर्वेद-सामवेद-अथर्ववेद-नामकान्’
वेदान्the Vedas
वेदान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
पूर्व-आदिभिःby the eastern and other (faces)
पूर्व-आदिभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘पूर्वः आदिः येषाम्’ → ‘पूर्वादयः’ (the eastern etc.)
मुखैःwith (his) mouths/faces
मुखैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन
शास्त्रम्the śāstra (treatise)
शास्त्रम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
इज्याम्worship/sacrifice
इज्याम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootइज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
स्तुति-स्तोमम्praise and hymn-collections
स्तुति-स्तोमम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्तुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (pair): ‘स्तुतिः च स्तोमः च’ (praise and hymn-collections)
प्रायश्चित्तम्atonement/penance
प्रायश्चित्तम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
व्यधात्arranged/established
व्यधात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootधा (धातु)
Formलङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः ‘वि’ (vy-): ‘arranged/established’
क्रमात्successively, in order
क्रमात्:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (ablatival adverb): ‘in due order/successively’
M
Maitreya
B
Brahmā

FAQs

This verse states that Brahmā manifested the four Vedas—Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva—sequentially, along with related Vedic components like ritual worship, hymns, and atonement procedures.

In the creation narrative, Maitreya explains how dharma and sacred knowledge appear within the cosmos—showing that śāstra, yajña, praise-hymns, and prāyaścitta arise as part of Brahmā’s ordered manifestation.

The verse highlights that atonement is a recognized Vedic tool for purification—practically, it encourages honest acknowledgement of faults, corrective action, and sincere spiritual rectification rather than denial or repetition.