Shloka 4
सर्गभेदाः — अविद्या, स्रोतोभेदाः, नव सर्गाः, देवासुरादिसृष्टिः, वेद-यज्ञप्रादुर्भावः
सृष्टिं चिन्तयतस् तस्य कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा अबुद्धिपूर्वकः सर्गः प्रादुर्भूतस् तमोमयः
sṛṣṭiṃ cintayatas tasya kalpādiṣu yathā purā abuddhipūrvakaḥ sargaḥ prādurbhūtas tamomayaḥ
Enquanto ele contemplava a criação—como outrora nos inícios dos kalpas—manifestou-se uma primeira emanação, surgida sem clara inteligência discriminativa, uma criação impregnada de escuridão (tamas).
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How creation proceeds at the beginnings of kalpas; the initial emergence characterized by tamas and non-discrimination.
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Creation Stage: Kalpa
Concept: At the start of each kalpa, creation first manifests in a tamasic, non-discriminative mode before differentiated order appears.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Recognize tamas in one’s own mind as the earliest veil; cultivate clarity (sattva) through discipline and devotion.
Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic processes unfold by real guṇic modalities under the Supreme’s governance; the Lord remains sovereign while prakṛti’s tamas initiates obscuration.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
This verse highlights that an initial phase of creation can arise as a tamasic, undifferentiated emergence—dark, inert, and lacking discriminative clarity—before subsequent, more ordered manifestations unfold.
Parāśara frames kalpa-beginnings as recurring moments when, through the Lord’s contemplation, creation reappears in patterns seen “formerly,” indicating cyclical cosmic order rather than a one-time event.
Vishnu is presented as the supreme sovereign cause: creation manifests in accordance with his intent and contemplation, while the qualities of the manifested world (like tamas) describe the state of the emergence, not a limitation of the Lord.