Shloka 1
- जैसे लोहा दाहक एवं दीप्तिमान् हो उठता है, उसी प्रकार चेतन जीवके संसर्गसे उसके सत्त्वादि गुणको भी चैतन्ययुक्त कहते हैं। अष्टा शीर्त्याधिकशततमोब् ध्याय: वर्णविभागपूर्वक मनुष्योंकी और समस्त प्राणियोंकी उत्पत्तिका वर्णन भूगुरुवाच असृजद् ब्राह्मुणानेव पूर्व ब्रह्मा प्रजापतीन् । आत्मतेजोभिनिर्वत्तान् भास्कराग्निसमप्रभान्,भगुजी कहते हैं--मुने! ब्रह्माजीने सृष्टिके प्रारम्भमें अपने तेजसे सूर्य और अग्निके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाले ब्राह्मणों, मरीचि आदि प्रजापतियोंको ही उत्पन्न किया
bharadvāja uvāca | asṛjad brāhmaṇān eva pūrvaṁ brahmā prajāpātīn | ātma-tejobhinirvattān bhāskarāgni-samaprabhān ||
Bharadvāja said: In the beginning of creation, Brahmā, the Lord of creatures, first brought forth the Brāhmaṇas—those Prajāpatis such as Marīci—born from his own inner radiance, shining with a splendor like the sun and fire.
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents creation and social-cosmic order as arising from tejas (spiritual radiance): the earliest progenitors are described as emanations of Brahmā’s inner power, implying that authority and function (especially of the Brahmin/Prajāpati archetype) are ideally rooted in luminosity, discipline, and creative responsibility rather than mere birth alone.
Bharadvāja introduces a cosmogonic account: at the start of creation, Brahmā first produces the Brahmins/Prajāpatis (e.g., Marīci), who shine like the sun and fire, setting the stage for a broader explanation of the origin and differentiation of beings and social categories.