Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 15

Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound

Devanagari script

इत्यादिष्ट: स्वगुरुणा भगवान्नीललोहित: । सत्त्वाकृतिस्वभावेन ससर्जात्मसमा: प्रजा: ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

ity ādiṣṭaḥ sva-guruṇā bhagavān nīla-lohitaḥ sattvākṛti-svabhāvena sasarjātma-samāḥ prajāḥ

Translation

സ്വഗുരുവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞപ്രകാരം നീല-ലോഹിതനായ ഭഗവാൻ രുദ്രൻ, തന്റെതുപോലെ രൂപവും ബലവും ഉഗ്രസ്വഭാവവും ഉള്ള അനേകം പ്രജകളെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു।

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-समाप्ति-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotation/iti-marker (इति-प्रयोग)

• आदिष्टः: having been instructed
• आदिष्टः: Karta (कर्ता; of implied state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; passive sense ‘having been instructed/ordered’

• स्वगुरुणा: by his own teacher
• स्वगुरुणा: Karana (करण; instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य गुरुः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; Instrumental ‘by his own teacher’

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नीललोहितः: Nīlalohita (blue-and-red one)
• नीललोहितः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to भगवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (नीलश्च लोहितश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper epithet/name

• सत्त्वाकृतिस्वभावेन: by (his) sattvic nature/form
• सत्त्वाकृतिस्वभावेन: Karana (करण; means/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व + आकृति + स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (सत्त्वस्य आकृतिः; तस्य स्वभावः इति बहु-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; Instrumental ‘by/with (his) nature of sattva-form’

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• आत्मसमाः: equal to himself
• आत्मसमाः: Karma (कर्म; object-complement to creation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आत्मना समाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying प्रजाः

• प्रजाः: creatures/offspring
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Nīlalohita (Rudra/Śiva)
• Brahmā

FAQs

Who is Nīlalohita in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

Nīlalohita is a name of Rudra (Śiva) in Canto 3, describing him as a divine personality who manifests for the work of creation under Brahmā’s direction.

Why did Brahmā instruct Rudra (Nīlalohita) to create progeny?

In the narrative of Canto 3, Brahmā delegates aspects of creation to empowered beings; Rudra is instructed to generate progeny according to his own nature as part of populating the universe.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

Even great power should move under higher guidance: the verse highlights disciplined action—receiving instruction from a teacher and acting according to one’s nature in a constructive way.