Shloka 3

Adhyaya 47 — Brahma’s Awakening and the Ninefold Scheme of Creation

Sanskrit

पद्मावसाने प्रलये निशासुत्पोत्थितः प्रभुः ।

सत्त्वोद्रिक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा शून्यं लोकमवैक्षत ॥

Transliteration

padmāvasāne pralaye niśāsutpotthitaḥ prabhuḥ / sattvodriktaḥ tadā brahmā śūnyaṃ lokam avaikṣata

Translation

At the dissolution at the end of the Pādma cycle, the Lord Brahmā, rising at dawn after the cosmic night, then—abounding in sattva—beheld the world as empty.

Word by Word

• padma-avasāne: at the end of the lotus (Brahmā’s lotus)
• padma-avasāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + avasāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) — 'पद्मस्य अवसाने' (at the end of the lotus)

• pralaye: in the dissolution
• pralaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• niśā-suta-utpotthitaḥ: arisen from the son of night (i.e., from sleep)
• niśā-suta-utpotthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक) + utpotthita (उत्√स्था धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः): 'निशायाः सुतात् उत्पोत्थितः' (arisen from the son of night)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• sattva-udriktaḥ: abounding in sattva
• sattva-udriktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + udrikta (उद्√रिच् धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सप्तमी/तृतीया-भावार्थः): 'सत्त्वेन उद्रिक्तः' (abounding in sattva)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• śūnyam: empty
• śūnyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'lokam')

• lokam: the world
• lokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• avaikṣata: looked upon / saw
• avaikṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating to Krauṣṭuki

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Pralaya (dissolution)
• Cosmic night and dawn
• Guṇa theory (sattva predominance)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even cosmic structures undergo dissolution; recognizing periodic emptiness undermines arrogance and supports vairāgya (dispassion) and steadiness in change.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Bridges ‘Saṃsthā’ (dissolution) to ‘Sarga’ (creation): the empty world after pralaya is the narrative starting point for the next creation.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘empty world’ reflects the meditative interval where forms subside; sattva predominance indicates clarity as the precondition for re-manifestation.