Shloka 20

सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयश् च भूतसर्गस् तु स स्मृतः वैकारिकस् तृतीयस् तु सर्ग ऐन्द्रियकः स्मृतः

Transliteration

tanmātrāṇāṃ dvitīyaś ca bhūtasargas tu sa smṛtaḥ vaikārikas tṛtīyas tu sarga aindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟ ସୃଷ୍ଟି ହେଉଛି ତନ୍ମାତ୍ରାମାନଙ୍କର ସୃଷ୍ଟି; ତାପରେ ଭୂତସର୍ଗ—ସ୍ଥୂଳ ଭୂତମାନଙ୍କର ସୃଷ୍ଟି—ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ତୃତୀୟଟି ବୈକାରିକ ସର୍ଗ; ଏହାକୁ ‘ଐନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟକ ସର୍ଗ’ ମଧ୍ୟ କୁହାଯାଏ—ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟମାନଙ୍କର ଉଦ୍ଭବ।

Word by Word

तन्मात्राणाम्of the tanmātras (subtle elements)

द्वितीयःthe second

चand

भूतसर्गःthe creation of beings/elements

तुindeed, but

सःthat (one)

स्मृतःis called, is remembered as

वैकारिकःvaikārika (pertaining to transformation/ego)

तृतीयःthe third

तुindeed, but

सर्गःcreation

ऐन्द्रियकःsensory (pertaining to the senses)

स्मृतःis called, is remembered as

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Maitreya

Tanmātras

Bhūtas

Indriyas

FAQs

What is the significance of tanmātras in the Vishnu Purana’s creation sequence?

This verse places tanmātras as a distinct stage of creation—subtle potentials that precede and enable the manifestation of gross elements and embodied experience.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the aindriyaka (vaikārika) sarga?

He identifies it as the third creation: the evolution of the indriyas (senses), a key step that makes perception and worldly interaction possible after subtle and gross principles are established.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even while describing Sāṅkhya-like categories, the Vishnu Purana frames the ordered unfolding of subtle-to-gross creation as occurring under the supreme governance of Vishnu, the sustaining Reality behind cosmic evolution.