Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

मनसा त्व् एव भूतानि पूर्वं दक्षो ऽसृजत् तदा देवान् ऋषीन् सगन्धर्वान् असुरान् पन्नगांस् तथा

Transliteration

manasā tv eva bhūtāni pūrvaṃ dakṣo 'sṛjat tadā devān ṛṣīn sagandharvān asurān pannagāṃs tathā

Translation

Then, in the beginning, Dakṣa brought forth beings by mind alone—creating the gods and the seers, together with the Gandharvas, the Asuras, and the serpent races as well.

Word by Word

• मनसा: by mind, mentally
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular; करणसाधन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• एव: only, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (emphatic particle)

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• पूर्वम्: formerly, at first
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• असृजत्: created, produced
• असृजत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd sg.

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• सगन्धर्वान्: (along with) Gandharvas
• सगन्धर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural; ‘स’ = सह (with)

• असुरान्: Asuras
• असुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• पन्नगान्: serpents
• पन्नगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय/उपसंहारार्थ (also/likewise)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Origins and expansion of created beings (prajā-sarga) through Prajāpatis

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Devas
• Rishis
• Gandharvas
• Asuras
• Pannagas (Nāgas)

FAQs

What is the significance of mind-born (mānasika) creation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that creation can occur at the level of intention and subtle will—beings are first projected mentally before taking fuller forms—showing an ordered, hierarchical emergence of life.

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

Parāśara presents them as arising in sequence through Dakṣa’s creative agency, distinguishing divine, sage, celestial-musical, anti-god, and serpent lineages as part of a structured cosmos.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Dakṣa is named as creator, the Purāṇic frame treats such creators as instruments within Vishnu’s overarching order—creation unfolds under the Supreme Reality that sustains and governs the cosmos.