Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 25

Cosmic Time, Cycles of Creation and Dissolution, and the Varāha Uplift of Earth

Devanagari script

वाराह इति कल्पोयं प्रथमः परिकल्पितः । ब्रह्मा नारायणाख्योसौ कल्पादौ भगवान्यथा

Transliteration

vārāha iti kalpoyaṃ prathamaḥ parikalpitaḥ | brahmā nārāyaṇākhyosau kalpādau bhagavānyathā

Translation

ଏହି କଳ୍ପ ପ୍ରଥମ ବୋଲି ପରିକଳ୍ପିତ—ଏହାର ନାମ ‘ବାରାହ କଳ୍ପ’; କଳ୍ପାଦିରେ ନାରାୟଣାଖ୍ୟ ଭଗବାନ୍ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ପ୍ରାଦୁର୍ଭୂତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• वाराहः: (called) Vārāha
• वाराहः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• कल्पः: the kalpa
• कल्पः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परिकल्पितः: is designated/arranged
• परिकल्पितः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + कल्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारायणाख्यः: named Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणाख्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायण + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कल्पादौ: at the beginning of the kalpa
• कल्पादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (comparative/conj. ‘as/just as’)

Speaker

Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (contextual narrator/reciter within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: कल्पोयं = कल्पः अयम्; नारायणाख्योसौ = नारायणाख्यः असौ; कल्पादौ = कल्प-आदौ; भगवान्यथा = भगवान् यथा.

Characters & Entities

• Varāha
• Brahmā
• Nārāyaṇa
• Bhagavān

FAQs

What is the Varāha Kalpa mentioned in this verse?

It is the name of a cosmic aeon (kalpa) associated with the Varāha (Boar) manifestation, used here to identify the specific cycle of creation being described.

Why does the verse say Brahmā is ‘known as Nārāyaṇa’ at the start of the kalpa?

The verse highlights a theological framing where creative authority at the dawn of a cycle is closely identified with Nārāyaṇa (the supreme divine principle in many Vaiṣṇava readings), expressing divine sovereignty behind creation.

What philosophical idea about creation is emphasized here?

Creation is presented as cyclical (kalpa-based) and divinely grounded: the beginning of each cycle is not random but ‘parikalpita’ (ordained/structured) and linked to Bhagavān’s lordship.