Shloka 15
Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization
लोकान् नदी: समुद्रांश्न दिश: शैलान् वनस्पतीन् । नरकिन्नररक्षांसि वयःपशुमृगोरगान् । अव्ययं च व्ययं चैव द्वयं स्थावरजजड्रमम्,तदनन्तर वे ब्रह्मा ही चराचर प्राणियोंकी सृष्टि करते हैं। वे ही देवता, ऋषि, पितर, मनुष्य, नाना प्रकारके लोक, नदी, समुद्र, दिशा, पर्वत, वनस्पति, किन्नर, राक्षस, पशु, पक्षी, मृग तथा सर्पोको भी उत्पन्न करते हैं। अक्षय आकाश आदि और क्षयशील चराचर प्राणियोंकी सृष्टि भी उन्हींके द्वारा हुई है
lokān nadīḥ samudrāṁś ca diśaḥ śailān vanaspatīn | narakinnararakṣāṁsi vayaḥ-paśu-mṛgoragān | avyayaṁ ca vyayaṁ caiva dvayaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam | tad-anantaraṁ vai brahmā hi carācaraprāṇināṁ sṛṣṭiṁ karoti ||
Vyāsa said: Brahmā brings forth the worlds—rivers and oceans, the directions, mountains, and plants; beings such as men, Kinnaras and Rākṣasas; and all creatures that fly, walk, crawl, or swim—birds, cattle, wild animals, and serpents. He also produces both the imperishable and the perishable: the twofold creation of the unmoving and the moving. Thus, after the primordial principles are set in order, Brahmā becomes the agent through whom the entire community of living beings, mobile and immobile, comes into manifestation.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a comprehensive, ordered view of creation: Brahmā is presented as the cosmic agent who manifests all categories of existence—geographical features, species, and supernatural classes—summarized as the twofold division of imperishable/perishable and immobile/mobile. Ethically, it supports a dharmic worldview in which life is interconnected within a structured cosmos, encouraging reverence and responsibility toward all beings.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vyāsa explains the scope of Brahmā’s creative activity. He enumerates the constituents of the universe—worlds and natural features, then various beings—culminating in the philosophical classification of reality into avyaya/vyaya and sthāvara/jaṅgama, framing later discussion on order, duty, and right conduct.