Shloka 51

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माडं विकृतं ज्ञेयं ब्रह्माण्डान्तः खगेश्वर / या सृष्टिरुच्यते सद्भिः सैवोक्ता विकृतेति च

Transliteration

brahmāḍaṃ vikṛtaṃ jñeyaṃ brahmāṇḍāntaḥ khageśvara / yā sṛṣṭirucyate sadbhiḥ saivoktā vikṛteti ca

Translation

हे खगेश्वर, ब्रह्मांड हे ‘विकृत’ असे जाण; आणि ब्रह्मांडाच्या आत जी सृष्टी सत्पुरुष सांगतात, तीच ‘विकृती’ (परिणाम) असेही म्हटली जाते।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmic egg/universe
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मन् + अण्ड (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• विकृतम्: modified, transformed
• विकृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known/understood
• ज्ञेयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्; ‘ज्ञेयम्’ = “to be known”

• ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तः: O inner one of the universe / O (one) within the cosmic egg
• ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + अन्तः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्माण्डस्य अन्तः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuda)
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः—खगानाम् ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• या: which
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सद्भिः: by the good/wise
• सद्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘सत्’ = सज्जन

• सा: that (same)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• उक्ता: is said/has been stated
• उक्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘said’

• विकृता: modified
• विकृता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सृष्टेः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक निपात

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmāṇḍa and what is called ‘sṛṣṭi’ by the wise is ‘vikṛti’—a transformation/effect, not the ultimate ground.

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa-viveka: the manifest cosmos is an effect; the seeker turns toward the unchanging cause/ground.

Application: Label experiences as ‘vikāra’ (change) to reduce absolutizing them; use this as a cognitive tool for equanimity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.50 (prākṛta evolutes); Garuda Purana 3.10.52 (enumeration of created categories)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Brahmāṇḍa
• Sṛṣṭi
• Vikṛti

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘vikṛti’ (modification) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It frames the universe (brahmāṇḍa) as a manifested transformation rather than an absolute, unchanging reality—creation is described as a modified state (vikṛti) of primordial principles.

How does this verse explain creation (sṛṣṭi) philosophically?

It equates ‘sṛṣṭi’ with ‘vikṛti’, implying creation is the process of manifestation and change within the cosmic sphere—an ordered transformation recognized by the wise.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seeing worldly conditions as ‘vikṛti’ encourages detachment, humility, and steadiness—responding ethically without mistaking changing forms for the ultimate truth.