Shloka 18

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

(८)अष्टमो ऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसस्तु सः / पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः

Transliteration

(8)aṣṭamo 'nugrahaḥ sargaḥ sāttvikastāmasastu saḥ / pañcaite vaikṛtāḥ sargāḥ prākṛtāstu trayaḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

എട്ടാമത്തേത് ‘അനുഗ്രഹ’ എന്ന സൃഷ്ടിയാണ്; അതിന്റെ സ്വഭാവം സാത്ത്വികവും താമസവും ആകുന്നു. ഇവ അഞ്ചും വൈകൃത സൃഷ്ടികൾ; മൂന്നെണ്ണം പ്രാകൃത സൃഷ്ടികൾ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• aṣṭamaḥ: eighth
• aṣṭamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• anugrahaḥ: favor; grace
• anugrahaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sargaḥ: creation; emanation
• sargaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sāttvikaḥ: sattvic
• sāttvikaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāttvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• tāmasaḥ: tamasic
• tāmasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmasa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• saḥ: that; he/it
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• vaikṛtāḥ: modified; secondary (vaikṛta)
• vaikṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• sargāḥ: creations
• sargāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• prākṛtāḥ: primary; natural (prākṛta)
• prākṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: traya (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• smṛtāḥ: are said; are remembered
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘are said/remembered’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Distinction of prākṛta (primordial) and vaikṛta (evolute) creations; anugraha-sarga as grace-mediated manifestation with mixed guṇa-character.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-vyavasthā and prakṛti-pariṇāma: the world-process as graded manifestation under sattva/tamas, implying the Self’s transcendence of guṇas.

Application: Use guṇa-awareness to interpret experience: cultivate sattva (clarity) while recognizing tamas-driven inertia as part of conditioned creation; support discernment (viveka).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.4.19-22 (continuation of sarga taxonomy and progeny classes)

FAQs

What is the importance of Anugraha Sarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Anugraha Sarga as a distinct mode of creation rooted in divine grace, showing that cosmic manifestation is not only mechanical (prakṛti-driven) but also connected to higher governance and purpose.

How does this verse explain the structure of creation (sarga)?

It divides creations into two broad groups—five ‘vaikṛta’ (evolute/modified) creations and three ‘prākṛta’ (primordial) creations—placing Anugraha as the eighth and describing its mixed guṇa-nature (sāttvika and tāmasa).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seeing life as shaped by both guṇas and grace encourages self-cultivation of sattva (clarity, ethics, discipline) while remaining humble to forces beyond personal control.