Shloka 37

Devanagari script

रजोमात्रात्मिकाम् अन्यां जगृहे स तनुं ततः रजोमात्रोत्कटा जाता मनुष्या द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

rajomātrātmikām anyāṃ jagṛhe sa tanuṃ tataḥ rajomātrotkaṭā jātā manuṣyā dvijasattama

Translation

Then he assumed yet another body, constituted solely of rajas. From that rajas-dominant embodiment, O best of the twice-born, human beings came into manifestation—driven by activity and restless striving.

Word by Word

• रजोमात्रात्मिकाम्: consisting solely of rajas
• रजोमात्रात्मिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस्+मात्र+आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक; components: रजस् ‘rajas’ + मात्र ‘only/measure’ + आत्मिक ‘consisting of’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (adjective) तनुम्

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् तनुम्

• जगृहे: he took/assumed
• जगृहे: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• तनुम्: a body/form
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• रजोमात्रोत्कटा: intensely of rajas alone
• रजोमात्रोत्कटा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस्+मात्र+उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक; components: रजस् ‘rajas’ + मात्र ‘only’ + उत्कट ‘intense/strong’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (adjective) मनुष्याः

• जाता: were born/produced
• जाता: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः; क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘born/produced’

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज+सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; components: द्विज ‘twice-born’ + सत्तम ‘best’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How beings arise from guṇa-specific embodiments in secondary creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: analytical

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human embodiment is linked to rajas-dominance, explaining the propensity toward action, striving, and change within saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate sattva (discipline, clarity) to temper rajasic agitation—especially through regulated conduct, sāttvika diet, and mantra.

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇas are real modes of prakṛti under the Lord’s governance; individual tendencies are explainable without denying divine immanence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Humans (Manuṣya)
• Rajas (guṇa)

FAQs

What is the significance of rajas in the Vishnu Purana’s account of human origin?

This verse links humanity with rajas—activity, passion, and motion—indicating that human life is characterized by striving, desire, and worldly engagement within the created order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain creation through the guṇas here?

Parāśara presents manifestation as arising through distinct guṇa-dominant forms; in this step, a rajas-only embodiment becomes the causal basis for the appearance of human beings.

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

Though the verse speaks in guṇic terms, the Vishnu Purana frames such creation as operating under the supreme sovereignty of Vishnu—whose will and order govern how guṇas diversify beings in sarga.