Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

तानि चैकैकश: स्रष्टुमसमर्थानि भौतिकम् । संहत्य दैवयोगेन हैममण्डमवासृजन् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tāni caikaikaśaḥ sraṣṭum asamarthāni bhautikam saṁhatya daiva-yogena haimam aṇḍam avāsṛjan

Translation

Those elements, separately, were unable to create the material universe. But, united by daiva-yoga—the energy of the Supreme Lord—they produced a radiant, golden egg.

Synonyms

• तानि: those (elements)
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्तृ/कर्म-सम्बन्धे सन्दर्भानुसार—कर्म (those elements)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एक-एकशः: one by one
• एक-एकशः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक-एकशस् (अव्यय; एक + एकशस्)
• Form: अव्यय; वितरणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (distributive adverb: one by one)

• स्रष्टुम्: to create
• स्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive), “to create”

• असमर्थानि: incapable
• असमर्थानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (तानि)

• भौतिकम्: material
• भौतिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भौतिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म-विशेषणम् (अण्डम्)

• संहत्य: having combined
• संहत्य: Purva-kala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-हन् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive), “having combined/assembled”

• दैव-योगेन: by divine conjunction/arrangement
• दैव-योगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव-योग (प्रातिपदिक; दैव + योग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दैवः योगः)

• हैमम्: golden
• हैमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अण्डम्)

• अण्डम्: egg (cosmic egg)
• अण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवासृजन्: they produced/created
• अवासृजन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Vidura

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the golden cosmic egg (Hiraṇyagarbha)?

This verse explains that when the material elements could not create independently, they combined by divine arrangement and produced the golden cosmic egg—the initial universal form in which further creation unfolds.

Why does Maitreya describe creation to Vidura in Canto 3?

Vidura seeks clear knowledge of the Lord’s energies and the origin of the cosmos; Maitreya answers by describing how matter functions only when directed by divine will, establishing God’s supremacy over material nature.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It teaches humility: individual effort matters, but real outcomes arise when many factors align—ultimately under a higher order—so one should work sincerely while depending on the Supreme with devotion.