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Shloka 10

Adhyaya 50Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)

अर्धनारीनरवपुः पुरुषोऽतिशरीरवान् ।

विभजात्मानमित्युक्त्वा स तदान्तर्दधे ततः ॥

ardhanārīnaravapuḥ puruṣo 'tiśarīravān | vibhajātmānam ity uktvā sa tadāntardadhe tataḥ ||

അർധം സ്ത്രീയും അർധം പുരുഷനും ആയ ദേഹമുള്ള മഹാപുരുഷൻ “നിന്നെ നീ വിഭജിക്ക” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു; പിന്നെ അവിടെത്തന്നെ അന്തർധാനം ചെയ്തു।

अर्धनारीनरवपुःone whose form was half woman and half man
अर्धनारीनरवपुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्ध + नारी + नर + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (यस्य वपुः अर्धं नारी, अर्धं नरः)
पुरुषःthe person, being
पुरुषः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अतिशरीरवान्of exceedingly great body
अतिशरीरवान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअति + शरीरवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अति-शरीरवान् = very large-bodied)
विभजdivide!
विभज:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-भज् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
आत्मानम्oneself
आत्मानम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)
उक्त्वाhaving said
उक्त्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having said’
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (then)
अन्तर्दधेdisappeared, concealed himself
अन्तर्दधे:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअन्तर्-धा (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
ततःthereupon
ततः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formहेतुवाचक/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (thereupon/then)
Narrative voice within the Purāṇic account
BrahmāPuruṣa (androgynous being)
CosmologyGender complementarityArdhanārī motifOrigin of human propagation

FAQs

The world-process requires polarity and complementarity. The narrative frames male and female not as hierarchy but as a necessary division for continuity of life.

Sarga: differentiation of the primordial being into sexes to enable further vaṃśa (lineage) and manvantara population.

The androgynous form symbolizes non-duality at the source; division is a functional manifestation of one reality into complementary powers—often read as consciousness and energy (puruṣa/śakti) in later interpretive lenses.