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Shloka 33

अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope

प्राचेतसस्तथा दक्षो दक्षपुत्राश्च॒ सप्त वै । ततः प्रजानां पतय: प्राभवन्नेकविंशति:,उस अण्डसे ही प्रथम देहधारी, प्रजापालक प्रभु, देवगुरु पितामह ब्रह्मा तथा रुद्र, मनु, प्रजापति, परमेष्ठी, प्रचेताओंके पुत्र, दक्ष तथा दक्षके सात पुत्र (क्रोध, तम, दम, विक्रीत, अंगिरा, कर्दम और अश्व) प्रकट हुए। तत्पश्चात्‌ इक्कीस प्रजापति (मरीचि आदि सात ऋषि और चौदह मनु)- पैदा हुए

prācetasas tathā dakṣo dakṣaputrāś ca sapta vai | tataḥ prajānāṁ patayaḥ prābhavann ekaviṁśatiḥ ||

Luego aparecieron Prācetasa (hijo de los Pracetas) y Dakṣa, junto con los siete hijos de Dakṣa. Después surgieron los veintiún señores de las criaturas (Prajāpatis), presentados como progenitores a quienes se confió ordenar, proteger y asegurar la continuidad de los seres vivos. El pasaje subraya que la autoridad no es mero poder, sino tutela sobre la vida y sobre el orden social y cósmico.

प्राचेतसःPrācetasa (son/descendant of Pracetas)
प्राचेतसः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्राचेतस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाand/also/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
दक्षःDakṣa
दक्षः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदक्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दक्षपुत्राःsons of Dakṣa
दक्षपुत्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदक्षपुत्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सप्तseven
सप्त:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसप्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
ततःthen/thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
प्रजानाम्of creatures/of progeny
प्रजानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
पतयःlords/masters
पतयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्राभवन्arose/came into being
प्राभवन्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + भू
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural
एकविंशतिःtwenty-one
एकविंशतिः:
TypeNoun
Rootएकविंशति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
P
Prācetasa
D
Dakṣa
S
sons of Dakṣa (seven, unnamed in the Sanskrit verse)
P
Prajāpatis (twenty-one)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames cosmic and social beginnings as a lineage of entrusted responsibility: the ‘lords of creatures’ arise to generate and safeguard life. Authority is implicitly ethical—meant for prajā-pālana (care and governance of beings), not self-serving domination.

In the opening genealogical-cosmogonic account of Ādi Parva, the text lists successive progenitors: Prācetasa and Dakṣa appear, then Dakṣa’s seven sons, and thereafter the twenty-one Prajāpatis who continue the work of creation and ordering of beings.