Shloka 75

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

Devanagari script

अचरांश् च चरांश् चैव द्विपदो ऽथ चतुष्पदः आदेशं ब्रह्मणः कुर्वन् सृष्ट्यर्थं समवस्थितः

Transliteration

acarāṃś ca carāṃś caiva dvipado 'tha catuṣpadaḥ ādeśaṃ brahmaṇaḥ kurvan sṛṣṭyarthaṃ samavasthitaḥ

Translation

He stood ready for the work of manifestation, fulfilling Brahmā’s command—bringing forth the immovable and the movable, the two-footed and the four-footed—so that creation might proceed in due order.

Word by Word

• अचरान्: immobile beings
• अचरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; अचर-शब्दः (immovables)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• चरान्: mobile beings
• चरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; चर-शब्दः (movables)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• द्विपदः: the two-footed (class)
• द्विपदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वे पदे यस्य)

• अथ: then/and also
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रकरणारम्भक (particle)

• चतुष्पदः: the four-footed (class)
• चतुष्पदः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (चत्वारि पदानि यस्य)

• आदेशम्: command
• आदेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्: carrying out
• कुर्वन्: Kriya (Participial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: for creation
• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (purpose)

• समवस्थितः: stood ready/was stationed
• समवस्थितः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्+अव + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used predicatively); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समव+स्था (to be stationed/established)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Dakṣa executes Brahmā’s directive to diversify beings in creation.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Multiplicity of life-forms arises through ordered differentiation carried out under higher command, expressing harmony rather than chaos.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Respect biodiversity and the interdependence of life; align human choices with sustaining, not disrupting, ecological balance.

Vishishtadvaita: Diversity is a real, meaningful mode of the one divine order—many forms within one governed cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

What is the significance of dividing beings into movable and immovable in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents creation as an ordered taxonomy—life is manifested in structured categories (immobile/mobile; two-footed/four-footed), underscoring that the cosmos unfolds according to a deliberate ordinance rather than randomness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Brahmā in creation here?

Parāśara depicts Brahmā as issuing the creative command (ādeśa), which is then executed to initiate manifestation—highlighting delegated cosmic administration within the larger Purāṇic framework.

What is the theological importance of divine sovereignty in this verse?

Creation proceeds through command and purpose (sṛṣṭyartha), implying a governing intelligence behind the world-order; in Vaiṣṇava readings, such governance ultimately rests in the Supreme Reality who empowers and sustains cosmic functions.