Shloka 1

रुद्रसर्गः (नीललोहितः), अष्टनाम-स्थान-परिवारः, श्री-नारायणयोः अभेदव्याप्तिः

Devanagari script

कथितस् तामसः सर्गो ब्रह्मणस् ते महामुने रुद्रसर्गं प्रवक्ष्यामि तन् मे निगदतः शृणु

Transliteration

kathitas tāmasaḥ sargo brahmaṇas te mahāmune rudrasargaṃ pravakṣyāmi tan me nigadataḥ śṛṇu

Translation

O great sage, I have thus described to you Brahmā’s tāmasa creation. Now I shall expound the Rudra-creation; listen attentively as I relate it.

Word by Word

• कथितः: has been described
• कथितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (सर्गः इति) विशेषणम्

• तामसः: tāmasa (of darkness)
• तामसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सर्गः इति)

• सर्गः: creation, emanation
• सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् मुनिः)

• रुद्र-सर्गम्: the creation of Rudra
• रुद्र-सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य सर्गः)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (शृणु इति) कर्म

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निगदतः: as I am speaking
• निगदतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√गद् (धातु) → निगदत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; (मे इति) सम्बन्धः

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Progression of Brahmā’s creations: from tāmasa-sarga to Rudra-sarga.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation unfolds in ordered phases, and the narrative proceeds from a tāmasa mode of creation to the specific emergence associated with Rudra.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Observe that inner states (tamas/rajas/sattva) shape outcomes; cultivate clarity before undertaking major actions.

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇas are real modalities of prakṛti under the Lord’s governance; creation is a purposeful, ordered manifestation rather than randomness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the significance of tāmasa sarga in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks a transition: after describing a creation phase characterized by tamas (inertia/darkness), the narrative moves to the next emanational sequence, showing creation as layered and guṇa-inflected rather than a single event.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Rudra-sarga?

Here Parāśara introduces it as the next topic in his systematic teaching to Maitreya—an ordered exposition of successive creations—inviting focused listening before detailing Rudra’s associated manifestation.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Brahmā and Rudra are named as agents within sarga, the Vishnu Purana’s broader theology frames such processes as operating within the supreme order of Vishnu as the ultimate reality and ground of cosmic governance.