Shloka 3

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

तान् दृष्ट्वा जलनिष्क्रान्ताः सर्वे क्रुद्धाः प्रचेतसः मुखेभ्यो वायुम् अग्निं च ते ऽसृजञ् जातमन्यवः

Transliteration

tān dṛṣṭvā jalaniṣkrāntāḥ sarve kruddhāḥ pracetasaḥ mukhebhyo vāyum agniṃ ca te 'sṛjañ jātamanyavaḥ

Translation

Seeing this, all the Pracetas rose up from the waters, inflamed with wrath; and, with anger newly kindled, they unleashed from their mouths both wind and fire.

Word by Word

• तान्: them (those trees)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• जलनिष्क्रान्ताः: having emerged from the water
• जलनिष्क्रान्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + निष्क्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक); components: जल (water) + निष्क्रान्त (gone out)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with 'प्रचेतसः'

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्रुद्धाः: angry
• क्रुद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रचेतसः: the Pracetas
• प्रचेतसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मुखेभ्यः: from (their) mouths
• मुखेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), बहुवचन

• वायुम्: wind
• वायुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• असृजन्: released, emitted
• असृजन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• जातमन्यवः: whose wrath had arisen
• जातमन्यवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात + मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक); components: जात (arisen) + मन्यु (wrath)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifies 'ते/प्रचेतसः'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Pracetās responded upon seeing the obstruction

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Righteous anger, when directed to remove obstruction to the common good, becomes a force that restores order rather than mere violence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Channel strong emotions into disciplined, purposeful action that protects collective wellbeing; avoid rage for its own sake.

Vishishtadvaita: Human agency (kartṛtva) operates as a dependent mode within the Lord’s order; power over elements is shown as granted/conditioned, not autonomous.

Characters & Entities

• Pracetas
• Wind (Vayu)
• Fire (Agni)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Pracetas releasing wind and fire in the Vishnu Purana?

It illustrates how tapas (ascetic power) can command elemental forces, and how uncontrolled anger can threaten the balance of creation—prompting the need for divine or dharmic restraint.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the moral lesson of anger in this episode?

Through the Pracetas’ immediate, destructive reaction after emerging from the waters, Parāśara emphasizes that spiritual power without self-mastery can become a force of disorder rather than protection of dharma.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named in the verse, the episode operates under Vishnu’s sovereignty over cosmic order: the Purana’s theology consistently implies that creation and its regulation ultimately depend on the Supreme Lord’s sustaining will.