Shloka 16

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

(४)मुख्यसर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः / (५)तिर्यक्स्रोतास्तु यः प्रोक्तस्तिर्यग्योन्यः स उच्यते

Transliteration

(4)mukhyasargaścaturthastu mukhyā vai sthāvarāḥ smṛtāḥ / (5)tiryaksrotāstu yaḥ proktastiryagyonyaḥ sa ucyate

Translation

The fourth is called the mukhya-sarga, the ‘primary creation’; in it, the immovable beings are regarded as the principal ones. And that creation described as ‘having a horizontal current’ is termed tiryak-yoni—the animal womb/realm, the birth of creatures that move crosswise.

Word by Word

• मुख्य-सर्गः: the principal creation
• मुख्य-सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (मुख्यः सर्गः)

• चतुर्थः: fourth
• चतुर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• मुख्याः: principal, primary
• मुख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (स्थावराः इत्यस्य)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• स्थावराः: immobile beings (plants etc.)
• स्थावराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are said (to be)
• स्मृताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'are called/remembered'

• तिर्यक्-स्रोताः: the (class) with horizontal channels (animals)
• तिर्यक्-स्रोताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समूहवाचक/जातिवाचक); कर्मधारय-समास (तिर्यक् स्रोतः यस्य)

• तु: and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• यः: which, who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'has been declared'

• तिर्यग्-योन्यः: having an animal (horizontal) womb/species
• तिर्यग्-योन्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तिर्यग्-योनिः यस्य)

• सः: that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodied creation differentiates into immovable beings and the animal (tiryak-yoni) stream characterized by ‘horizontal’ life-current.

Vedantic Theme: Jīva’s embodiment varies by upādhi; gradations of consciousness-expression across yonis; samsāra as structured field for experience and learning.

Application: Cultivate compassion toward animals and ecological responsibility; recognize human birth as a higher-capacity station requiring ethical use of agency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: biospheric realms (species domains)

Cross References

Related Themes: Sarga enumeration continues into 1.4.17 (devas and humans)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Sthavara
• Tiryagyoni

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘mukhya-sarga’ (primary creation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses ‘mukhya-sarga’ to mark a key stage of creation where immovable life (sthāvara) is emphasized as the principal manifestation, framing how beings are categorized in cosmic evolution.

How does this verse explain the classification of living beings?

It distinguishes immovable beings (sthāvara) and identifies another class as ‘tiryak-srotas’, called ‘tiryag-yoni’, referring to non-human/animal modes of birth characterized metaphorically by a horizontal life-current.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages a broader ethical regard for all life forms—immovable and moving—by seeing them as structured categories within creation, supporting non-harm (ahiṃsā) and responsible conduct toward nature and animals.