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Shloka 9

Śravaṇa-Mahātmya: The Śravaṇas, Cosmic Testimony, and the Paths of the Puruṣārthas

Devanagari script

सृष्ट्वैतदादिकं सर्वं तपस्तेपे तु पद्मजः / गतानि बहुवर्षाणि ब्रह्मणो नाभिपङ्कजे

Transliteration

sṛṣṭvaitadādikaṃ sarvaṃ tapastepe tu padmajaḥ / gatāni bahuvarṣāṇi brahmaṇo nābhipaṅkaje

Translation

ആദിതത്ത്വങ്ങളോടെ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന ഈ സകലവും സൃഷ്ടിച്ച ശേഷം പദ്മജൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് തപസ്സിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടു. വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ നാഭിയിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന താമരയിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിന് അനേകം വർഷങ്ങൾ കടന്നുപോയി.

Word by Word
सृष्ट्वाhaving created
सृष्ट्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√सृज् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; अव्ययीभाव/gerund)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)
एतदादिकम्this and the rest, beginning with this
एतदादिकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम्)
सर्वम्all (of it)
सर्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘समस्तं जगत्’ अर्थे
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
तेपेperformed (austerity)
तेपे:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√तप् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तुbut, indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (particle)
पद्मजःthe lotus-born (Brahmā)
पद्मजः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् से)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘पद्मात् जातः’ (ब्रह्मा)
गतानिpassed, gone by
गतानि:
Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√गम् (धातु) + क्त (गत)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, विशेषण (बहुवर्षाणि)
बहुवर्षाणिmany years
बहुवर्षाणि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootबहु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन
ब्रह्मणःof Brahmā
ब्रह्मणः:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
नाभिपङ्कजेin the lotus of the navel
नाभिपङ्कजे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootनाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the creator-god stabilizes creation through tapas—disciplined contemplation—over vast spans of time.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of causality: Brahmā as nimitta in secondary creation rests upon Viṣṇu as ultimate ground; tapas as inner purification enabling right manifestation.

Application: Sustain long-term practice (japa, meditation, study) before major undertakings; let clarity mature over time rather than forcing outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic lotus-seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: creation narratives that place Brahmā on the nābhi-kamala of Viṣṇu; Garuda Purana: praise of tapas and mantra as sources of siddhi and order

Characters & Entities
B
Brahma
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse presents tapas as the sustaining spiritual force even after creation—Brahmā, though creator, relies on austerity to stabilize and unfold the manifested order.

By stating that Brahmā remains on the lotus arising from the navel, the verse frames Brahmā’s creative function as dependent on Viṣṇu, the cosmic support from whom the lotus-seat originates.

The verse emphasizes disciplined practice (tapas)—consistent self-restraint, prayer, or meditation—as a means to bring clarity and stability to one’s duties, not merely to begin tasks but to sustain them.

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