Shloka 3

मानवसर्गः, चातुर्वर्ण्य-गुणकर्म, यज्ञ-प्रतिपादनम्, आश्रमधर्म-फल, नरकवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

सत्याभिध्यायिनः पूर्वं सिसृक्षोर् ब्रह्मणो जगत् अजायन्त द्विजश्रेष्ठ सत्त्वोद्रिक्ता मुखात् प्रजाः

Transliteration

satyābhidhyāyinaḥ pūrvaṃ sisṛkṣor brahmaṇo jagat ajāyanta dvijaśreṣṭha sattvodriktā mukhāt prajāḥ

Translation

O best of the twice-born, when Brahmā, intent on bringing forth the universe, first fixed his contemplation upon Truth, there arose from his mouth progeny in whom sattva predominated.

Word by Word

• सत्याभिध्यायिनः: of (Brahmā) meditating on truth
• सत्याभिध्यायिनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + अभिध्यायिन् (अभि-ध्यै/ध्याय्-धातुज कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); ‘सत्यं अभिध्यायति’ (one who meditates on truth)

• पूर्वम्: first; previously
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• सिसृक्षोः: of (him) desiring to create
• सिसृक्षोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिसृक्षु (सृज्-धातोः सन्-इच्छार्थक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); इच्छार्थक (desiderative sense)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अजायन्त: were born; arose
• अजायन्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सत्त्वोद्रिक्ताः: predominant in sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वोद्रिक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व + उद्रिक्त (उद्-रिच्/रेक्-धातुज कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective)

• मुखात्: from (his) mouth
• मुखात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रजाः: creatures; progeny
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Brahmā generated mankind/varṇas and the guṇa-basis of their emergence

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When Brahmā contemplates satya (Truth), sattva-predominant beings arise first, indicating cognition and purity as primary in ordered creation.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate truth-oriented contemplation (satya-abhidhyāna) to increase sattva—clarity, restraint, and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Truth-contemplation as orientation to the Supreme (Viṣṇu) whose order Brahmā serves; sattva becomes a real, value-laden mode within the Lord’s manifested universe.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of meditating on Satya (Truth) in this creation passage of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse presents creation as arising from Brahmā’s alignment with Satya, implying that ordered manifestation begins with truth-centered consciousness rather than mere physical action.

How does Sage Parāśara explain guṇa-based creation here?

Parāśara indicates that the first progeny are distinguished by guṇa predominance—here, beings marked by sattva arise first, specifically from Brahmā’s mouth, establishing a graded cosmology.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this single verse, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmic order as ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality; Brahmā’s truth-oriented contemplation reflects that higher, sustaining principle associated with Vishnu.