Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Bhāgavata-Māhātmya and the Complete Summary of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वतिर्यगवाक्सर्गो रुद्रसर्गस्तथैव च । अर्धनारीश्वरस्याथ यत: स्वायम्भुवो मनु: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

ūrdhva-tiryag-avāk-sargo rudra-sargas tathaiva ca ardha-nārīśvarasyātha yataḥ svāyambhuvo manuḥ

Translation

The Bhāgavatam also describes the creation of demigods, animals, and demoniac species; the birth of Lord Rudra; and the appearance of Svāyambhuva Manu from the Īśvara known as Ardhanārīśvara, half man and half woman.

Synonyms

• ऊर्ध्व: upward
• ऊर्ध्व: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् समासपूर्वपद; दिक्/स्थानवाचक (upward)

• तिर्यक्: sideways
• तिर्यक्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘sideways’

• अवाक्: downward
• अवाक्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाक् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘downward’

• सर्गः: creation (of beings in various directions)
• सर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (समाहार/itaretara sense) in phrase ऊर्ध्व-तिर्यक्-अवाक्-सर्गः = ‘creation in upward/side/down directions’

• रुद्र: Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• सर्गः: the Rudra-creation
• सर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रुद्र-सर्ग = ‘creation of Rudra(s)’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अर्ध: half
• अर्ध: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘half’

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपद; ‘woman’

• ईश्वरस्य: of Ardhanārīśvara
• ईश्वरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: अर्ध-नारी-ईश्वर = ‘the Lord who is half-woman’ (Ardhanārīśvara)

• अथ: then; next
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तर/प्रारम्भसूचक (then/now)

• यतः: from whom
• यतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Form: अव्यय, हेतुवाचक/सम्बन्धवाचक (from whom/whence; causal-relative)

• स्वायम्भुवः: Svāyambhuva
• स्वायम्भुवः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वायम्भुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण to मनुः (proper epithet)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Ardhanārīśvara
• Svāyambhuva Manu

FAQs

What does Śrīmad Bhāgavatam say about the threefold creation (ūrdhva, tiryak, avāk)?

This verse states that the Bhāgavatam describes creation across the higher beings (ūrdhva), animal/sideways species (tiryak), and lower realms (avāk), presenting a complete Vedic picture of embodied life within the cosmos.

Why is the creation of Rudra (Śiva) mentioned in this summary of the Bhāgavatam?

Because the Bhāgavatam’s account of sarga includes the emergence of Rudra as a key cosmic principle and personality, integral to universal functions like transformation and dissolution, and thus part of the scripture’s comprehensive cosmology.

How can the idea of ‘sarga’ (creation) be applied in modern devotional life?

It encourages humility and purpose: seeing all species and conditions as part of the Lord’s ordered creation helps one cultivate gratitude, responsibility, and steadiness in bhakti rather than identifying narrowly with one temporary situation.