Shloka 26

Primordial Creation: From Brahman to the Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

महदादयो विशेषांता अंडमुत्पादयंति ते । तत्क्रमेण विवृद्धं तु जलबुद्बुदवत्सदा

Transliteration

mahadādayo viśeṣāṃtā aṃḍamutpādayaṃti te | tatkrameṇa vivṛddhaṃ tu jalabudbudavatsadā

Translation

Dari Mahat dan prinsip-prinsip lainnya hingga unsur-unsur khusus, mereka melahirkan telur kosmis (Brahmāṇḍa); lalu menurut urutan ia mengembang senantiasa bagaikan gelembung di atas air.

Word by Word

• महत्-आदयः: Mahat and the rest
• महत्-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—महदादि (तत्पुरुषः: ‘beginning with Mahat’)

• विशेष-अन्ताः: ending with the particulars (tanmātras/viśeṣas)
• विशेष-अन्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—विशेषान्त (तत्पुरुषः: ‘ending in the viśeṣas’) विशेषणम् (महतादयः)

• अण्डम्: the cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्पादयन्ति: produce
• उत्पादयन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु) → उत्पादयति (णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातुः—उत्पद्/उत्पाद् (causative sense: ‘cause to arise/produce’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्-क्रमेण: in that sequence
• तत्-क्रमेण: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्क्रम (तत्पुरुषः: ‘that order/sequence’); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental of manner)

• विवृद्धम्: grown, enlarged
• विवृद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वृध् (धातु) → विवृद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अण्डम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• जल-बुद्बुद-वत्: like a water-bubble
• जल-बुद्बुद-वत्: Adverbial (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्बुद (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानवाचक (simile adverb) ‘like a water-bubble’; समासः—जलबुद्बुद (तत्पुरुषः) + वत्

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative/cosmological exposition within Svargakhaṇḍa; exact dialogue pair not determinable from single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: महत् + आदयः → महदादयः; विशेषान्ताः (विशेष + अन्ताः); अण्डम् + उत्पादयन्ति → अंडमुत्पादयंति; तत् + क्रमेण → तत्क्रमेण; जलबुद्बुदवत् + सदा → जलबुद्बुदवत्सदा

Characters & Entities

• Mahat
• aṇḍa (cosmic egg)

FAQs

What is meant by the 'cosmic egg' (aṇḍa) in this verse?

It refers to the primordial cosmic enclosure (brahmāṇḍa) that arises from the evolution of tattvas and then expands to become the structured universe.

Why is the universe compared to a bubble on water (jalabudbuda)?

The simile highlights emergence and expansion from subtle causes, and also suggests fragility/impermanence in manifested forms compared to the underlying reality.

Does this verse reflect Sāṃkhya-style cosmology?

Yes. The mention of Mahat and the progression toward specific elements aligns with a tattva-evolution framework commonly shared between Purāṇic cosmology and Sāṃkhya terminology.