Shloka 57

सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

उच्चावचानि भूतानि गात्रेभ्यस् तस्य जज्ञिरे देवासुरपितॄन् सृष्ट्वा मनुष्यांश् च प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

uccāvacāni bhūtāni gātrebhyas tasya jajñire devāsurapitṝn sṛṣṭvā manuṣyāṃś ca prajāpatiḥ

Translation

From his very limbs arose beings of many kinds, higher and lower. Having created the gods, the asuras, and the Pitṛs, Prajāpati also brought forth humankind.

Word by Word

• उच्चावचानि: high and low; various
• उच्चावचानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च + अवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (उच्च + अवच)

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गात्रेभ्यः: from the limbs
• गात्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• जज्ञिरे: were born/arose
• जज्ञिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्ष-भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• देव: gods
• देव: Sambandha (Compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• असुर: asuras
• असुर: Sambandha (Compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• पितॄन्: the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवासुरपितॄन्: gods, asuras, and Pitṛs
• देवासुरपितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + असुर + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (देव-असुर-पितृ)

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु

• मनुष्यांश्: humans
• मनुष्यांश्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रजा + पति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How classes of beings (deva/asura/pitṛ/manuṣya) arise in sarga

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Diversity of beings—higher and lower—unfolds from Prajāpati’s embodied creative act, indicating an ordered hierarchy within a single created system.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recognize difference of roles and capacities without denying shared dependence on the divine order; cultivate dharma appropriate to one’s station.

Vishishtadvaita: Many real jīvas arise with graded capacities, yet remain coordinated within one divine governance—plurality within unity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Devas
• Asuras
• Pitrs
• Humans

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘higher and lower beings’ (uccāvacāni bhūtāni) in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a graded cosmos in which diverse orders of life arise within a single creation—devas, asuras, ancestors, and humans—each with distinct roles in maintaining universal order (ṛta/dharma).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the process of creation here?

Parāśara describes emanation as an ordered unfolding: beings emerge from the creator’s body (a symbolic image of organic, structured manifestation), culminating in the creation of humans alongside other cosmic classes.

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

Even when Prajāpati is named as the immediate creator, the Vishnu Purana frames creation as operating under Vishnu’s supreme reality and governance—Prajāpati functions as an instrument within that higher sovereignty.