Shloka 148

Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation

with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा भूतानि भगवान्लोकसृष्ट्यर्थमुत्तमम् । ब्रह्मणो जन्मसहितं बहुरूपो ह्यचिंतयत्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā bhūtāni bhagavānlokasṛṣṭyarthamuttamam | brahmaṇo janmasahitaṃ bahurūpo hyaciṃtayat

Translation

Voyant les êtres, le Seigneur Bienheureux—dans le dessein sublime de créer les mondes—conçut aussi la naissance de Brahmā, prenant Lui-même de multiples formes.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा/Absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• भूतानि: beings/elements
• भूतानि: कर्म (Object of ‘दृष्ट्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोकसृष्ट्यर्थम्: for the purpose of creating the worlds
• लोकसृष्ट्यर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/अर्थ-सम्बन्ध; adverbial accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + सृष्टि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः—‘लोकसृष्टेः अर्थम्’ (purpose)

• उत्तमम्: supreme/excellent
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘लोकसृष्ट्यर्थम्’ इति विशेषणम्

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

• जन्मसहितम्: together with (his) birth/origin
• जन्मसहितम्: कर्म (Object-complement of ‘अचिन्तयत्’; what was contemplated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् + सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त/PPP from सह्/सहिता ‘accompanied’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः—‘जन्मना सहितम्’ (together with birth/origin)

• बहुरूपः: many-formed
• बहुरूपः: कर्ता (Apposition to ‘भगवान्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः—‘बहूनि रूपाणि यस्य सः’

• हि: indeed
• हि: निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), निपात (emphatic particle)

• अचिन्तयत्: thought/pondered
• अचिन्तयत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); नकार-आगम (a- augment)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual voice within the Purāṇic dialogue; specific speaker not explicit in the provided verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: भगवान्लोकसृष्ट्यर्थमुत्तमम् = भगवान् + लोकसृष्ट्यर्थम् + उत्तमम्; ह्यचिन्तयत् = हि + अचिन्तयत् (i+a → ya).

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Brahmā

FAQs

What does this verse teach about creation in the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa?

It presents creation as a deliberate divine intention: the Lord, seeing beings and aiming at world-creation, wills even the birth of Brahmā—implying Brahmā’s role is secondary and divinely instituted.

Why does the verse say the Lord becomes “many-formed” (bahurūpaḥ)?

It indicates divine multiplicity in function and manifestation—one Supreme acting through many forms to accomplish cosmic tasks such as generating the creator-figure Brahmā and the ordered worlds.

What ethical or spiritual lesson can be taken from this verse?

It encourages recognition of purposeful order behind existence and humility regarding agency: even great cosmic roles arise through a higher will, suggesting devotion and surrender (rather than ego) as the proper stance.