Shloka 21

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

सिसृक्षुरम्भांस्येतानि स्वमात्मानमयूयुजत् / व्यक्तात्मनस्तमोमात्रादुद्रिक्तास्तत्प्रजापतेः

Transliteration

sisṛkṣurambhāṃsyetāni svamātmānamayūyujat / vyaktātmanastamomātrādudriktāstatprajāpateḥ

Translation

Desejando criar estas águas primordiais, Prajāpati uniu a elas o seu próprio Ser. Desse Ser manifesto, no qual predominava apenas o princípio da escuridão (tamas), esses elementos se intensificaram e se expandiram.

Word by Word

• sisṛkṣuḥ: wishing to create
• sisṛkṣuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु) + u (उणादि/कृत्)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (desiderative/agent noun-like); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘wishing to create’

• ambhāṃsi: waters
• ambhāṃsi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘waters’

• etāni: these
• etāni: Viśeṣya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• svam: own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; स्वकीय-विशेषण

• ātmānam: self
• ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ayūyujat: joined; yoked; united
• ayūyujat: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग-आ (आयुयुजत्)

• vyakta-ātmanaḥ: of the manifest-souled (one)
• vyakta-ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘व्यक्तः आत्मा यस्य’ (of the one whose self is manifest)

• tamaḥ-mātrāt: from mere darkness
• tamaḥ-mātrāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + mātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (मात्रा), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘तमसः मात्रा’ (mere darkness)

• udriktāḥ: abounding; intensified
• udriktāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udrikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (increased/abounding)

• tat: of that
• tat: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे पूर्वपद (genitival relation: of that)

• prajāpateḥ: of Prajāpati
• prajāpateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the broader dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prajāpati unites his Self with the waters; from the manifest self, tamas predominates and drives intensification/expansion of elements.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā/tamas as a condition for manifestation (vyavahāra) while the Self remains unattached; interplay of consciousness and prakṛti in cosmogenesis.

Application: Notice tamas as both obstacle and raw material: transform inertia through discipline (niyama), light, and clarity rather than denial; use contemplative inquiry to separate Self from guṇa-states.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic element

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.4.22 (tamas-body cast off; asura birth)

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati

FAQs

What is the importance of the primordial waters (ambhāṃsi) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents the waters as a foundational cosmic substrate in creation, linked to Prajāpati’s act of uniting his Self with them to initiate manifestation.

How does this verse explain the role of tamas in creation?

It indicates that from the manifesting Self, when the tamas principle predominates, the created basis (here, the waters/elements) becomes dense and expands—showing tamas as a force of heaviness and consolidation in manifestation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize how tamas (inertia, dullness) can “increase” and shape outcomes; cultivate clarity and discipline to keep one’s mind and actions from becoming dominated by tamasic tendencies.