Shloka 4
सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः
सृष्टिं चिन्तयतस् तस्य कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा अबुद्धिपूर्वकः सर्गः प्रादुर्भूतस् तमोमयः
sṛṣṭiṃ cintayatas tasya kalpādiṣu yathā purā abuddhipūrvakaḥ sargaḥ prādurbhūtas tamomayaḥ
彼が創造を思惟したとき—昔のカルパの初めと同じく—明晰な分別知を伴わぬ、闇（タマス）に染まった最初の発出が現れた。
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
FAQs
This verse highlights that an initial phase of creation can arise as a tamasic, undifferentiated emergence—dark, inert, and lacking discriminative clarity—before subsequent, more ordered manifestations unfold.
Parāśara frames kalpa-beginnings as recurring moments when, through the Lord’s contemplation, creation reappears in patterns seen “formerly,” indicating cyclical cosmic order rather than a one-time event.
Vishnu is presented as the supreme sovereign cause: creation manifests in accordance with his intent and contemplation, while the qualities of the manifested world (like tamas) describe the state of the emergence, not a limitation of the Lord.