Shloka 84

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

Devanagari script

देवानां दानवानां च गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् उत्पत्तिं विस्तरेणेह मम ब्रह्मन् प्रकीर्तय

Transliteration

devānāṃ dānavānāṃ ca gandharvoragarakṣasām utpattiṃ vistareṇeha mama brahman prakīrtaya

Translation

O Brahman, here and now recount to me in full the origins of the gods and the Dānavas, and of the Gandharvas, the Nāgas, and the Rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दानवानाम्: of the demons (Dānavas)
• दानवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• गन्धर्व-उरग-रक्षसाम्: of Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas
• गन्धर्व-उरग-रक्षसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व + उरग + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (गन्धर्वाश्च उरगाश्च रक्षांसि च)

• उत्पत्तिम्: origin, creation
• उत्पत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विस्तरेण: in detail
• विस्तरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (in the sense of manner)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तय: proclaim, narrate
• प्रकीर्तय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request for detailed origins of devas, dānavas, gandharvas, nāgas, and rākṣasas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: inquisitive

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Danavas
• Gandharvas
• Nagas (Uraga)
• Rakshasas
• Maitreya
• Parasara

FAQs

What is the significance of listing Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Nāgas, and Rākṣasas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames a systematic account of cosmic society—multiple orders of beings whose origins are to be traced as part of creation (sarga) and universal governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the origins of different classes of beings?

Maitreya requests a detailed narration, and Parāśara’s method typically proceeds genealogically—linking classes of beings to primordial creation and the unfolding of cosmic cycles.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse asks about many beings, the Purāṇic framework treats their emergence as occurring within the ordered cosmos sustained by Vishnu, the supreme ground of reality and sovereignty.