Shloka 34

Adhyaya 45 — Jaimini’s Cosmological Questions and the Opening of Markandeya’s Account of Primary Creation

Sanskrit

अनाद्यन्तं जगद्योनिं त्रिगुणप्रभवाप्ययम् ।

असाम्प्रतमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत ॥

Transliteration

anādy-antaṃ jagad-yonim tri-guṇa-prabhavāpyayam |

asāmpratam avijñeyaṃ brahmāgre samavartata ||

Translation

Beginningless and endless, the source of the universe—the basis of the arising and dissolution of the three guṇas—at that time it was not directly knowable, and it existed prior to Brahmā.

Word by Word

• अनादि-अन्तम्: without beginning and end
• अनादि-अन्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘आदिश्च अन्तश्च यस्य न’ (without beginning and end)

• जगत्-योनिम्: the source of the world
• जगत्-योनिम्: कर्म/विशेष्य (Karma/Viśeṣya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘जगतः योनि’ (source/womb of the world)

• त्रि-गुण-प्रभव-अप्ययम्: the origin and dissolution of the three guṇas
• त्रि-गुण-प्रभव-अप्ययम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (प्रभव + अप्यय) इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व, पूर्वपदेन त्रिगुण-विशेषण: ‘त्रिगुणानां प्रभवश्च अप्ययश्च’ (origin and dissolution of the three guṇas)

• असाम्प्रतम्: not presently manifest
• असाम्प्रतम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाम्प्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘not present/ not of the current time’

• अविज्ञेयम्: unknowable
• अविज्ञेयम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञेय (कृदन्त) with negation अ-
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक क्तव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘not knowable’

• ब्रह्म-अग्रे: before Brahmā / at the beginning
• ब्रह्म-अग्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘ब्रह्मणः अग्रे’ = ‘before Brahmā/at the beginning (prior to Brahmā)’; used adverbially

• समवर्तत: was present/came to be
• समवर्तत: विधेय/क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद: ‘came into being/was present’

Speakers

• Narrator-speaker concluding the initial definition of the primordial cause

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Brahmā (as subsequent cosmic role, preceded by avyakta/prakṛti)

Key Themes

• Tri-guṇa doctrine
• Beginningless substrate
• Pre-Brahmā primordiality
• Limits of cognition

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse underlines epistemic humility: the deepest causal layer is not grasped by ordinary cognition, encouraging disciplined practice and restraint from premature certainty.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga: it locates the unmanifest source prior to the creator-function (Brahmā) and ties cosmic evolution to guṇa dynamics.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Before Brahmā’ can be read as prior to structured intellect/creator-mind: in inner terms, the guṇas’ play arises from a pre-conceptual ground that is ‘avijñeya’ until directly realized.