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Shloka 13

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

प्रथमो महतः सर्गो विज्ञेयो ब्रह्मणस्तु सः / तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयस्तु भूतसर्गो हि स स्मृतः

prathamo mahataḥ sargo vijñeyo brahmaṇastu saḥ / tanmātrāṇāṃ dvitīyastu bhūtasargo hi sa smṛtaḥ

知るべし。第一の創造は、ブラフマン(宇宙原理)に属するマハット(宇宙知性)の顕現である。第二の創造はタンマートラ(微細元素)の創造で、伝統においてブータ・サルガ――諸存在/諸元素の創造――と記憶される。

प्रथमःfirst
प्रथमः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootprathama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’
महतःof Mahat
महतः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootmahat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of Mahat (cosmic intellect)’
सर्गःcreation
सर्गः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विज्ञेयःis to be known
विज्ञेयः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-jñā (धातु)
FormGerundive (तव्यत्/अनीयर् sense; here -य), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘is to be known’
ब्रह्मणःof Brahmā
ब्रह्मणः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of Brahmā/Brahman’
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAdversative/contrast particle (निपात)
सःthat/it
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
तन्मात्राणाम्of the tanmātras (subtle elements)
तन्मात्राणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Roottanmātra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘tan-mātra’ (that-subtle element); Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
द्वितीयःsecond
द्वितीयः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying (implied) ‘sargaḥ’
तुand/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात)
भूतसर्गःthe creation of the elements
भूतसर्गः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūta + sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘bhūta-sarga’ = ‘creation of elements’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormCausal/emphatic particle (निपात)
सःthat/it
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
स्मृतःis called/remembered as
स्मृतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsmṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘is remembered/called’

Traditional Purana narrator (Suta-style narration within the Kurma Purana’s cosmology section)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

B
Brahman
M
Mahat
T
Tanmātras
B
Bhūtas

FAQs

By distinguishing Brahman as the cosmic source-principle from which the first evolute (Mahat) arises, the verse implies a transcendental ground that precedes material differentiation; the Atman/Brahman is the prior reality, while Mahat and the tanmātras are downstream manifestations.

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; rather, it provides tattva-jnana (knowledge of principles). In the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic framework, such discrimination supports meditation by helping the practitioner detach from gross bhūtas and subtle tanmātras and orient awareness toward the higher source.

Indirectly: the verse uses shared pan-Indian metaphysical categories (Mahat, tanmātras, bhūtas) that both Shaiva and Vaishnava teachings accept, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where one supreme reality is described through a common cosmological vocabulary.