Shloka 2

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

हरिरुवाच / शृणु रुद्र प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्गादीन्पापनाशनाम् / सर्गस्थितिलयान्तां तां विष्णोः क्रीडां पुरातनीम्

Transliteration

hariruvāca / śṛṇu rudra pravakṣyāmi sargādīnpāpanāśanām / sargasthitilayāntāṃ tāṃ viṣṇoḥ krīḍāṃ purātanīm

Translation

Hari dijo: “Escucha, Rudra. Describiré los ciclos que comienzan con la creación—destructores del pecado—y que culminan en creación, preservación y disolución: ese antiguo juego divino de Viṣṇu.”

Word by Word

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• rudra: O Rudra
• rudra: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sargādīn: creation and the rest
• sargādīn: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga + ādi (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्गः आदिः येषाम् = 'creation etc.'), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• pāpanāśanām: destroying sins
• pāpanāśanām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + nāśana (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पापस्य नाशनम्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; sargādīn-विशेषण (collective)

• sarga: creation
• sarga: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound), पुंलिङ्ग

• sthiti: maintenance
• sthiti: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound), स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• laya: dissolution
• laya: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound), पुंलिङ्ग

• antām: ending with
• antām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'ending in' (as final member in compound)

• sargasthitilayāntām: ending with creation, maintenance, and dissolution
• sargasthitilayāntām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarga + sthiti + laya + anta (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (सर्ग-स्थिति-लय) + अन्त (ending with); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ताम्-विशेषण

• tām: that (her/it)
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• krīḍām: play, divine sport
• krīḍām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• purātanīm: ancient, primeval
• purātanīm: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purātanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; krīḍā-विशेषण

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic cycles (sarga–sthiti–laya) are Viṣṇu’s purātanī līlā; hearing this knowledge is pāpa-nāśana (sin-destroying).

Vedantic Theme: Jagat as līlā under īśvara; kāla-cakra; śravaṇa of īśvara-kathā as purifier; harmony of jñāna and bhakti.

Application: Engage in regular śravaṇa of Viṣṇu-kathā/cosmology to cultivate detachment from transient cycles and to orient life toward sattva and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: cosmology sections; repeated motif that śravaṇa/pāṭha destroys sin (pāpa-nāśana)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of sarga-sthiti-laya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the Purana’s cosmology as a sacred teaching: understanding creation, preservation, and dissolution is presented as purifying (pāpa-nāśanā) and rooted in Viṣṇu’s ancient divine play.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it sets the metaphysical background: the soul’s journey is understood within recurring cosmic cycles governed by Viṣṇu, where insight into the divine order supports inner purification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reflect on impermanence (laya) and responsibility (sthiti) in daily life—using the cosmic perspective to reduce ego-driven actions and cultivate dharmic conduct.