Shloka 10

Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline

Devanagari script

भवान्‌ सृजति भूतानि भवान्‌ संहरति प्रजा: । प्रकृति: सर्वभूतानां समर्त्यानां सनातनी

Transliteration

bhavān sṛjati bhūtāni bhavān saṁharati prajāḥ | prakṛtiḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ samartyānāṁ sanātanī

Translation

Indra sprach: „Du erschaffst alle Wesen, und du ziehst die Geschöpfe auch wieder zurück. Du bist die ewige Prakṛti — die bleibende Natur und der Grund aller verkörperten Wesen, die dem Sterblichen unterworfen sind.“

Word by Word

• भवान्: you (honored one)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सृजति: creates
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूतानि: beings; creatures
• भूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भवान्: you (honored one)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संहरति: withdraws; destroys
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रजाः: creatures; subjects; progeny
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रकृतिः: nature; primal matter
• प्रकृतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• समर्त्यानाम्: of mortals (together/collectively)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-मर्त्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सनातनी: eternal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• इन्द्र (Indra)
• भवान् (the addressed supreme principle/deity)
• प्रकृति (Prakṛti)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the same supreme reality is responsible for both creation (sṛṣṭi) and dissolution (saṁhāra). By calling that reality 'sanātanī prakṛtiḥ,' Indra points to an eternal foundational principle underlying all mortal beings, encouraging alignment with and reverence for the cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra is addressing a higher power and offering a doctrinal praise: he recognizes the addressee as the source and end of all beings. The statement functions as a theological affirmation within the discourse of Anuśāsana Parva, grounding ethical instruction in a vision of universal governance.