Shloka 5

Ahaṃkāra as the Second Creation: Brahmā’s Cosmological Instruction (अहंकार-प्राधान्येन सृष्टिवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

अहंकारेणाहरतो गुणानिमान्‌ भूतादिरेवं सृूजते स भूतकृत्‌ वैकारिक: सर्वमिदं विचेष्टते स्वतेजसा रज्जयते जगत्‌ तथा

Transliteration

ahaṅkāreṇāharato guṇān imān bhūtādir evaṁ sṛjate sa bhūtakṛt | vaikārikaḥ sarvam idaṁ viceṣṭate svatejasā rajjayate jagat tathā ||

Translation

ବାୟୁ କହିଲେ—ଆତ୍ମା ଅହଂକାରକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ଏହି ଗୁଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରେ ଏବଂ ପରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଅନୁଭବରେ ନିଜ କରି ଭୋଗ କରେ। ଭୂତାଦିରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରୁଥିବା ସେଇ ଭୂତକୃତ୍; ବିକାରର କାରଣ ହେବାରୁ ସେ ବୈକାରିକ। ଏହି ସମସ୍ତ ଚେଷ୍ଟାଶୀଳ ଜଗତ ତାହାର ତେଜରେ ହିଁ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ ହୁଏ; ଏବଂ ସେ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତିରେ ସମଗ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱକୁ ରଜୋଗୁଣରେ ରଞ୍ଜିତ କରି, ଇଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଭୋଗ ପ୍ରତି ଧକ୍କା ଦେଇଥାଏ।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• अहंकारेण: by/through ego (ahaṅkāra)
• अहंकारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• आहरतः: takes/appropriates
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ
• Form: present, third, singular, parasmaipada

• गुणान्: qualities (guṇas)
• गुणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• इमान्: these
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• भूतादिः: the origin of beings
• भूतादिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतादि
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• सृजते: creates/produces
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: present, third, singular, ātmanepada

• सः: he/that
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भूतकृत्: maker of beings
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: भूतकृत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वैकारिकः: pertaining to modification (vaikārika)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैकारिक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• विचेष्टते: acts/moves about
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चेष्ट्
• Form: present, third, singular, ātmanepada

• स्वतेजसा: by its own brilliance/energy
• स्वतेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वतेजस्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• रञ्जयते: colors/tinges; makes passionate
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज्
• Form: present, third, singular, parasmaipada

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तथा: thus/so; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• ahaṅkāra
• guṇas
• bhūtas
• jagat
• rajas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse explains a Sāṅkhya-style account: the ego-principle (ahaṅkāra) generates and appropriates the guṇas and thereby drives the active world. Ethically, it implies that desire-driven activity (rajas) arises from ego-identification; reducing ego-clinging supports restraint and clearer discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking in a doctrinal passage, describing how creation and worldly activity proceed through the ego-principle and the guṇas, emphasizing that the restless, desire-oriented character of the world is propelled by rajas arising from ahaṅkāra.