Shloka 20

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

इच्छताञ्च तथायासो मनसः समजायत ।

अपां सौक्ष्म्यं ततस्तासां सिद्धिर्नानारसोल्लसा ॥

Transliteration

icchatāñca tathāyāso manasaḥ samajāyata /

apāṃ saukṣmyaṃ tatastāsāṃ siddhirnānārasollasā

Translation

And for those who desired, even so, an exertion of the mind arose. Then there arose for them the subtlety of waters, and a perfection that shone with many flavors (rasas).

Word by Word

• icchatām: of those who wished
• icchatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु) (इष्)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present participle/शतृ), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; 'of those desiring'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चय)

• tathā: thus; likewise
• tathā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• āyāsaḥ: effort; exertion; strain
• āyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• manasaḥ: of the mind
• manasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• samajāyata: arose; came about
• samajāyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam- (उपसर्ग) + √jan (धातु) (जन्)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• apām: of waters
• apām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (collective), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; 'of waters'

• saukṣmyam: subtlety; fineness
• saukṣmyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukṣmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• tataḥ: then; from that
• tataḥ: Anantarya (अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tāsām: of them
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana

• siddhiḥ: attainment; accomplishment
• siddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• nānā-rasa-ullasā: abounding in various flavors
• nānā-rasa-ullasā: Viśeṣaṇa of siddhiḥ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + ullasā (प्रातिपदिक; from ud-√las (धातु) लस्)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; agrees with siddhiḥ; Tatpuruṣa: nānā rasaiḥ ullasā (shining/abounding with various tastes)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purana’s cosmological account

Key Themes

• Sankalpa
• Siddhi
• Elements (water)
• Rasa (taste/essence)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in an abundant age, desire generates mental agitation (āyāsa). The text subtly warns that craving itself is the seed of effort and disturbance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga cosmological qualities—describing how capacities and elemental relations manifest in an age.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Subtlety of waters’ can indicate mastery over the fluid principle (āpas-tattva): adaptability, taste/essence (rasa), and the mind’s capacity to ‘liquefy’ reality into experience.