Shloka 20

सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयश् च भूतसर्गस् तु स स्मृतः वैकारिकस् तृतीयस् तु सर्ग ऐन्द्रियकः स्मृतः

Transliteration

tanmātrāṇāṃ dvitīyaś ca bhūtasargas tu sa smṛtaḥ vaikārikas tṛtīyas tu sarga aindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

La seconde création est dite être celle des éléments subtils (tanmātras). Ensuite vient, selon la tradition, le bhūtasarga, la création des éléments grossiers. La troisième est la création vaikārika, aussi appelée aindriyaka sarga : l’apparition des sens.

Word by Word

तन्मात्राणाम्of the tanmātras (subtle elements)

द्वितीयःthe second

चand

भूतसर्गःthe creation of beings/elements

तुindeed, but

सःthat (one)

स्मृतःis called, is remembered as

वैकारिकःvaikārika (pertaining to transformation/ego)

तृतीयःthe third

तुindeed, but

सर्गःcreation

ऐन्द्रियकःsensory (pertaining to the senses)

स्मृतःis called, is remembered as

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of subsequent sargas: tanmātra-sarga, bhūta-sarga, and vaikārika/aindriyaka (sense) creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: systematic

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After Mahat, creation proceeds through tanmātras (subtle potentials), then bhūtas (gross elements), and then the vaikārika/aindriyaka emergence of the senses.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Map experience from senses to subtle impressions; practice sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) by recognizing their cosmological and psychological arising.

Vishishtadvaita: The world and senses are real evolutes of prakriti under the Supreme’s rule, enabling purposeful engagement in dharma and bhakti rather than world-negation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Maitreya

Tanmātras

Bhūtas

Indriyas

FAQs

What is the significance of tanmātras in the Vishnu Purana’s creation sequence?

This verse places tanmātras as a distinct stage of creation—subtle potentials that precede and enable the manifestation of gross elements and embodied experience.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the aindriyaka (vaikārika) sarga?

He identifies it as the third creation: the evolution of the indriyas (senses), a key step that makes perception and worldly interaction possible after subtle and gross principles are established.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even while describing Sāṅkhya-like categories, the Vishnu Purana frames the ordered unfolding of subtle-to-gross creation as occurring under the supreme governance of Vishnu, the sustaining Reality behind cosmic evolution.