Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ततो ऽभिध्यायतस् तस्य जज्ञिरे मानसाः प्रजाः तच्छरीरसमुत्पन्नैः कार्यैस् तैः करणैः सह क्षेत्रज्ञाः समवर्तन्त गात्रेभ्यस् तस्य धीमतः

Transliteration

tato 'bhidhyāyatas tasya jajñire mānasāḥ prajāḥ taccharīrasamutpannaiḥ kāryais taiḥ karaṇaiḥ saha kṣetrajñāḥ samavartanta gātrebhyas tasya dhīmataḥ

Translation

Then, as that wise one entered contemplation, mind‑born progeny came forth. And along with the instruments of action that arose from his own body, the kṣetrajñas—the embodied, conscious selves—manifested from his limbs.

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb: 'thereupon/from that')

• अभिध्यायतः: of (him) meditating
• अभिध्यायतः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्राय), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'अभिध्यायतः' = (of him) while meditating

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जज्ञिरे: were born / arose
• जज्ञिरे: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; धातु: जन् (to be born)

• मानसाः: mental / mind-born
• मानसाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• तत्: his/that
• तत्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'तत्' in compound as pronominal qualifier

• शरीरसमुत्पन्नैः: by those arisen from (his) body
• शरीरसमुत्पन्नैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर + समुत्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः: शरीर-समुत्पन्नैः (arisen from the body)

• कार्यैः: by functions / effects
• कार्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण

• करणैः: by instruments / organs
• करणैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable), 'with' (usually with instrumental)

• क्षेत्रज्ञाः: kṣetrajñas (knowers of the field; embodied selves)
• क्षेत्रज्ञाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः: क्षेत्र-ज्ञाः (knowers of the field)

• समवर्तन्त: came into being / arose
• समवर्तन्त: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; धातु: वृत्, उपसर्ग: सम्

• गात्रेभ्यः: from the limbs/body
• गात्रेभ्यः: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• धीमतः: of the wise one
• धीमतः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (of the wise/intelligent one)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Process of manifestation: mind-born progeny, organs of action, and emergence of embodied kṣetrajñas from the creator’s limbs

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through contemplative intent, creation proceeds: mind-born beings arise, and the embodied knowers (kṣetrajñas) manifest together with organs of action from the creator’s own limbs.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Contemplate the ordered interdependence of self, body, and faculties; cultivate responsibility for actions performed through karmendriyas, aligning them with dharma and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms plurality of conscious selves (kṣetrajñas) arising within the Lord’s cosmic body/order—souls as real, dependent modes (prakāra) of the Supreme, who is both immanent controller and transcendent source.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Prajā (progeny)
• Kṣetrajña (jīva/knower of the field)

FAQs

What is the significance of mind-born creation (mānasāḥ prajāḥ) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks a stage of sarga where beings arise first through contemplation—subtle, intention-driven origination—before fuller embodiment and differentiated functions appear.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the appearance of the kṣetrajña here?

He presents the kṣetrajña (the conscious self) as manifesting together with bodily instruments of action, indicating that embodiment involves both awareness and functional faculties arising in tandem.

What is the theological importance of this verse for Vaishnava philosophy?

Even while describing Brahmā’s creative activity, the verse supports the Vaishnava view of ordered manifestation—jīvas and their faculties appear within a governed cosmic process ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty.