Shloka 4
मानवसर्गः, चातुर्वर्ण्य-गुणकर्म, यज्ञ-प्रतिपादनम्, आश्रमधर्म-फल, नरकवर्णनम्
वक्षसो रजसोद्रिक्तास् तथान्या ब्रह्मणो ऽभवन् रजसा तमसा चैव समुद्रिक्तास् तथोरुतः
vakṣaso rajasodriktās tathānyā brahmaṇo 'bhavan rajasā tamasā caiva samudriktās tathorutaḥ
From Brahmā’s chest arose those in whom rajas predominated; and from another part of Brahmā likewise came beings marked chiefly by rajas. From his thigh, too, were manifested those in whom rajas and tamas were jointly intensified.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Differentiation of beings by guṇa predominance in Brahmā’s embodied creation
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Creation Stage: Secondary
Concept: Beings arise from Brahmā in differentiated streams according to rajas and tamas (and their mixtures), yet the overall process is governed by the Supreme Lord’s ordinance.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Notice how rajas/tamas shape impulses; deliberately cultivate sattva through disciplined life, ethical conduct, and devotion.
Vishishtadvaita: Maintains real plurality and gradation (guṇa-based) within a single divine governance—Viṣṇu as transcendent ruler whose śāsana orders Brahmā’s delegated creation.
Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)
Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
It explains that created beings differ according to the dominance and mixture of rajas and tamas, showing creation as a graded manifestation shaped by the guṇas rather than a uniform emergence.
Parāśara describes Brahmā’s emanation of beings from specific bodily loci (chest, thigh), emphasizing that each emergence corresponds to a particular guṇa-condition—especially rajas alone or rajas mixed with tamas.
Even when Brahmā is described as producing beings, the Vishnu Purana frames such creation as secondary and governed by the Supreme Lord’s overarching sovereignty, with the guṇas operating within Viṣṇu’s cosmic order.