Shloka 4

मानससृष्टिः, रुद्रोत्पत्तिः, मन्वादिवंशः, प्रलयचतुष्टयम्

Devanagari script

यदास्य ताः प्रजाः सर्वा न व्यवर्धन्त धीमतः तदान्यान् मानसान् पुत्रान् सदृशान् आत्मनो ऽसृजत्

Transliteration

yadāsya tāḥ prajāḥ sarvā na vyavardhanta dhīmataḥ tadānyān mānasān putrān sadṛśān ātmano 'sṛjat

Translation

When all those beings born of him did not increase, the wise one created other sons—mind-born and like unto himself—so that creation might proceed in due order.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: “when”)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; प्रजाः इति विशेषण (demonstrative)

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

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; प्रजाः इति विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• व्यवर्धन्त: grew, increased
• व्यवर्धन्त: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; उपसर्ग: वि + अव (व्य-)

• धीमतः: of the wise (one)
• धीमतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive); एकवचन; अस्य इति समानाधिकरण (of the wise one)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; पुत्रान् इति विशेषण

• मानसान्: mind-born
• मानसान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; पुत्रान् इति विशेषण (mind-born)

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन

• सदृशान्: similar, like
• सदृशान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; पुत्रान् इति विशेषण

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन

• असृजत्: created, produced
• असृजत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How creation proceeds when earlier beings do not multiply; origin of mind-born sons

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When initial progeny do not proliferate, the creator (Brahmā) generates mind-born sons to ensure the continuity of ordered creation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When efforts stall, refine intention and employ subtler faculties (planning, discernment) aligned with dharma rather than force alone.

Vishishtadvaita: Shows delegated creativity within divine order: Brahmā acts as instrument while the Supreme remains the ultimate ground and governor of creation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Prajāḥ (progeny)
• Mānasaputrāḥ (mind-born sons)

FAQs

What is the significance of mind-born sons (mānasaputrāḥ) in the Vishnu Purana?

They represent a deliberate, higher-order mode of creation used to restart or accelerate proliferation when ordinary progeny does not multiply, ensuring cosmic continuity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the continuation of creation when beings do not increase?

He describes a shift in method: the creator generates additional progeny directly through mind (mānasa-sṛṣṭi), producing sons like himself to carry forward the creative process.

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

Even when the verse speaks of proximate creators and their progeny, the Vishnu Purana frames such ordered creation as operating under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—the sustaining intelligence behind cosmic law and unfolding.