Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 1

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

Devanagari script

विदुर उवाच अन्तर्हिते भगवति ब्रह्मा लोकपितामह: । प्रजा: ससर्ज कतिधा दैहिकीर्मानसीर्विभु: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vidura uvāca antarhite bhagavati brahmā loka-pitāmahaḥ prajāḥ sasarja katidhā daihikīr mānasīr vibhuḥ

Translation

Śrī Vidura dit : Ô grand sage, après la disparition du Bhagavān, de quelles manières Brahmā, l’aïeul des habitants des mondes, créa-t-il les corps des êtres à partir de son propre corps et de son mental ? Je t’en prie, dis-le-moi.

Synonyms

• विदुरः: Vidura
• विदुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; speaker name

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘said’

• अन्तर्हिते: (when) hidden/disappeared
• अन्तर्हिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्हित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त क्त from अन्तर्-धा)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative absolute with भगवति; ‘when (he) had disappeared’

• भगवति: in the Lord / when the Lord
• भगवति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative in locative absolute

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; subject

• लोक-पितामहः: grandfather of the worlds
• लोक-पितामहः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पितामहः)

• प्रजाः: progeny/creatures
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; object

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘created’

• कति-धा: in how many ways
• कति-धा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कति (प्रातिपदिक) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; अव्यय ‘in how many ways?/how manyfold’

• दैहिकीः: bodily/physical
• दैहिकीः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैहिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying प्रजाः

• मानसीः: mental/mind-born
• मानसीः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying प्रजाः

• विभुः: the mighty one
• विभुः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; epithet of Brahmā

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Bhagavan (Supreme Lord)
• Brahma

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about mental creation (mānasa-sarga)?

This verse indicates that Brahmā creates progeny in multiple modes, including mānasī (mind-born) creation—beings manifested directly from his mind—alongside daihikī (bodily) generation.

Why does Vidura ask about Brahmā’s creation after the Lord becomes hidden?

Vidura is tracing the sequence of cosmic creation: after the Supreme Lord withdraws from direct visibility, Brahmā, empowered by Him, proceeds to generate various categories of living beings.

Practical application of this teaching on creation in modern life?

It cultivates humility and God-centered vision: recognizing that even great creators and leaders act by higher empowerment encourages responsibility, reverence, and reliance on the Supreme rather than ego.