Shloka 24
Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State
Yājñavalkya–Janaka
भूतसर्गमहड्कारात् तृतीयं विद्धि पार्थिव । अहड्कारेषु सर्वेषु चतुर्थ विद्धि वैकृतम्
bhūtasargamahaṅkārāt tṛtīyaṁ viddhi pārthiva | ahaṅkāreṣu sarveṣu caturthaṁ viddhi vaikṛtam, pṛthvīnatha ||
वसिष्ठ बोले— “पार्थिव! अहंकार से जो सृष्टि होती है, उसे तीसरा सर्ग जानो; उसी से सूक्ष्म भूतों की उत्पत्ति होती है। और पृथ्वीनाथ! सात्त्विक, राजस तथा तामस—इन सब प्रकार के अहंकारों से जो भिन्न-भिन्न सृष्टि प्रकट होती है, उसे चौथा ‘वैकृत-सर्ग’ समझो।”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse maps creation in Sāṅkhya terms: from ahaṅkāra arises the emanation of subtle elements (a ‘third’ creation), and from the differentiated modes of ahaṅkāra—sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa—arises the ‘vaikṛta’ (derivative/modified) creation. The ethical thrust is that understanding the mind’s ego-principle as a cosmic process helps loosen personal identification and supports detachment and liberation.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Vasiṣṭha instructs a king on metaphysical doctrine. Here he classifies stages of creation, naming the third as the element-emanation from ahaṅkāra and the fourth as the vaikṛta creation produced through the three guṇa-conditioned forms of ahaṅkāra.