Shloka 28

Sṛṣṭi-krama: Brahmā’s Sequential Creation of Devas, Sages, and Sense-Presiding Powers

Devanagari script

निर्ममे प्रवहं वायुं कनिष्ठाङ्गुलिपर्वतः / दशवर्षानन्तरं तु प्रवाहीं निर्ममे प्रभुः

Transliteration

nirmame pravahaṃ vāyuṃ kaniṣṭhāṅguliparvataḥ / daśavarṣānantaraṃ tu pravāhīṃ nirmame prabhuḥ

Translation

कनिष्ठा उँगली के पोर से प्रभु ने प्रवहमान वायु का निर्माण किया। फिर दस वर्ष के बाद उसी सार्वभौम ने प्रवाही धारा को पुनः रचा।

Word by Word

• निर्ममे: created/made
• निर्ममे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रवहम्: flowing/streaming
• प्रवहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वायुम्: wind
• वायुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कनिष्ठ-अङ्गुलि-पर्वतः: from the joint of the little finger
• कनिष्ठ-अङ्गुलि-पर्वतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कनिष्ठायाः अङ्गुलेः पर्वतः’ (from the joint of the little finger)

• दश-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: after ten years
• दश-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; ‘दशवर्षेभ्यः अनन्तरम्’ (after ten years)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• प्रवाहीम्: flowing (fem.)
• प्रवाहीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवाही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (flowing)

• निर्ममे: created/made
• निर्ममे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation proceeds from the Lord through subtle channels (vāyu/pravāha) and measured time, indicating an ordered cosmology.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi and kāla as a dependent principle; the manifest arises from the unmanifest Lord.

Application: Contemplate impermanence and order of time; cultivate reverence for prāṇa/vāyu as a divine function and live with disciplined rhythm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.13 (cosmogonic/time-measure sequence continuing through subsequent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Lord (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘vāyu’ (wind/prāṇa) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights vāyu as a divinely fashioned ‘flow’—a key subtle force that supports movement and transition, which is central to descriptions of the preta’s post-death journey.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing ‘flow’ (pravaha/pravāhī) created by the Lord, the verse points to an ordered subtle mechanism—currents of prāṇa and movement—through which embodied and post-embodied states are sustained.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat breath and life-force as sacred: maintain purity, self-control, and calmness—supporting dharma and mental steadiness, which Garuda Purana repeatedly links with a smoother transition at death.