Shloka 46
सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः
ध्यायतो ऽङ्गात् समुद्भूता गन्धर्वास् तस्य तत्क्षणात् पिबन्तो जज्ञिरे वाचं गन्धर्वास् तेन ते द्विज
dhyāyato 'ṅgāt samudbhūtā gandharvās tasya tatkṣaṇāt pibanto jajñire vācaṃ gandharvās tena te dvija
O twice-born, as he contemplated, the Gandharvas sprang forth at that very instant from his limbs; and because they were born as drinkers of speech—imbibing sound itself—they are therefore called “Gandharvas.”
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Account of creation—origination of classes of beings from Brahmā/Prajāpati
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Creation Stage: Secondary
Concept: Creation proceeds from the creator’s contemplative will, and even subtle beings are defined by their essential function (here, sound/speech).
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Contemplate how sense-objects (like sound) shape identity; cultivate disciplined speech as a sacred power.
Vishishtadvaita: Functional diversity of beings is real within an ordered cosmos dependent on the supreme will, supporting a qualified unity rather than illusionism.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
It links the Gandharvas to sound and sacred utterance, portraying them as beings whose very nature is nourished by voice—music, chant, and the vibratory order that sustains cosmic harmony.
He describes them as arising immediately from the creator’s contemplative state and embodied powers, showing creation as an ordered unfolding where mental intention and cosmic function manifest as distinct classes of beings.
Even when intermediate creators are described, the Purāṇa frames the cosmos as ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—creation proceeds through structured emanation under the higher reality and governance of the Supreme.