Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सर्वे ते ऽभ्यागतज्ञाना वीतरागा विमत्सराः तेष्व् एवं निरपेक्षेषु लोकसृष्टौ महात्मनः ब्रह्मणो ऽभून् महान् क्रोधस् त्रैलोक्यदहनक्षमः

Transliteration

sarve te 'bhyāgatajñānā vītarāgā vimatsarāḥ teṣv evaṃ nirapekṣeṣu lokasṛṣṭau mahātmanaḥ brahmaṇo 'bhūn mahān krodhas trailokyadahanakṣamaḥ

Translation

All of them were wise in welcoming what came to them, free from passion and without envy. Yet, seeing such beings remain utterly unattached—even in the very work of bringing forth the worlds—the great-souled Brahmā was seized by a mighty wrath, a fury capable of consuming the three worlds.

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• abhyāgata-jñānāḥ: knowing the arrival (aware of guests/arrivals)
• abhyāgata-jñānāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhyāgata (कृदन्त; √gam (धातु) + उपसर्ग abhi + क्त) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः कर्मधारयः (अभ्यागतं ज्ञानं येषाम्/अभ्यागतज्ञानाः)

• vīta-rāgāḥ: free from passion
• vīta-rāgāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīta (कृदन्त; √i (धातु) + वि + क्त, ‘gone’) + rāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रागः वीतः येषाम्)

• vi-matsarāḥ: without envy
• vi-matsarāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matsara (प्रातिपदिक) with नञ्/वि-प्रत्ययार्थ ‘absence’
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• teṣu: in/among them
• teṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• nirapekṣeṣu: in those who were indifferent/unconcerned
• nirapekṣeṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirapekṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• loka-sṛṣṭau: in the creation of the world
• loka-sṛṣṭau: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य सृष्टिः)

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• abhūt: arose/was
• abhūt: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• mahān: great
• mahān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• krodhaḥ: anger
• krodhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• trailokya-dahana-kṣamaḥ: capable of burning the three worlds
• trailokya-dahana-kṣamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri-lokya (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + लोक) + dahana (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य दहनं कर्तुं क्षमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How creation proceeds when prior mind-born beings remain detached from procreation and world-manifestation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even dispassion (vairāgya) in beings tasked with creation can obstruct manifestation, precipitating a rajasic impulse (here, Brahmā’s krodha) that drives further emanation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Balance inner detachment with responsible action in one’s appointed duties, so renunciation does not become inertia.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic functions unfold through divinely ordered roles; even the guṇas and creator-functions operate under the Supreme’s overarching ordinance rather than independent agency.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• the three worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā’s anger being described as capable of burning the three worlds?

It marks wrath as a cosmic power: not merely an emotion, but a force that can dissolve creation, showing how creation and destruction operate through potent principles within the divine order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the problem of detached beings in the act of creation?

Parāśara presents their complete indifference (nirapekṣatā) as a narrative trigger—Brahmā, intent on populating and ordering the worlds, reacts when potential creators remain unmoved by the project of manifestation.

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

Even when the verse names Brahmā, the Purāṇic framework treats such powers as functioning within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—cosmic emotions and forces arise and act as instruments in the larger maintenance of universal order.