Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

सिसृक्षेर्जघनात्पूर्वमसुरा जज्ञिरे ततः / उत्ससर्ज ततस्तां तु तमोमात्रात्मिकां तनूम्

Transliteration

sisṛkṣerjaghanātpūrvamasurā jajñire tataḥ / utsasarja tatastāṃ tu tamomātrātmikāṃ tanūm

Translation

Before the Creator proceeded with further creation, the asuras were born from his posterior part. Then he cast off that body of his which was constituted solely of the essence of darkness (tamas).

Word by Word

• sisṛkṣeḥ: of (his) desire to create
• sisṛkṣeḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sisṛkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘सिसृक्षा’ = स्रष्टुमिच्छा (desire to create)

• jaghanāt: from the buttocks; from the hind part
• jaghanāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• pūrvam: before
• pūrvam: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvam (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: before/previously)

• asurāḥ: demons; asuras
• asurāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• jajñire: were born; arose
• jajñire: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (then/thereafter)

• utsasarja: emitted; cast forth
• utsasarja: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ्-प्रायः (perfect/aorist usage in narrative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग-उत्

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• tām: that (her/it)
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• tamaḥ-mātrā-ātmikām: consisting of mere darkness
• tamaḥ-mātrā-ātmikām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + mātrā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तमोमात्रा आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्याः’ (consisting of mere darkness)

• tanūm: body; form
• tanūm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Asuric emergence is linked with tamas; the creator discards a tamas-only body—symbolizing separation of darker guṇa-formation from the luminous creative principle.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-association produces differentiated dispositions (āsurī/sāttvikī); the witnessing Self is distinct from discarded coverings (upādhis).

Application: Identify and ‘cast off’ tamasic habits (sloth, cruelty, delusion) through sattvic routines, ethical restraint, and devotion; treat inner darkness as removable conditioning, not identity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.4.21 (tamas predominance in manifestation)

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the importance of tamas in Garuda Purana’s creation narrative?

This verse links the birth of Asuras with a form composed of tamas, showing how the guna of inertia/darkness is presented as a causal principle behind certain classes of beings in the Purana’s cosmology.

How does this verse explain the origin of Asuras?

It states that Asuras arise from the Creator’s posterior region and are associated with a body made of tamas, indicating a symbolic and guna-based origin rather than a purely physical one.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat tamas (laziness, confusion, harmful impulses) as a force to be purified through disciplined habits, clarity-seeking study, and sattvic conduct.