Shloka 24

Sṛṣṭi-krama: Brahmā’s Sequential Creation of Devas, Sages, and Sense-Presiding Powers

Devanagari script

दक्षः शिष्यात्मको जज्ञे दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठतः प्रभोः / पञ्चवर्षानन्तरं तु वामाङ्गुष्ठाच्चतुर्मुखः

Transliteration

dakṣaḥ śiṣyātmako jajñe dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhataḥ prabhoḥ / pañcavarṣānantaraṃ tu vāmāṅguṣṭhāccaturmukhaḥ

Translation

दक्षः शिष्यात्मको जज्ञे दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठतः प्रभोः। पञ्चवर्षानन्तरं तु वामाङ्गुष्ठाच्चतुर्मुखः॥

Word by Word

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• शिष्यात्मकः: disciple-natured
• शिष्यात्मकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्य + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (समास: शिष्य-आत्मक) ‘having the nature of a disciple’

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘was born’

• दक्षिण: right
• दक्षिण: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; compound member

• अङ्गुष्ठतः: from the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular with तः

• प्रभोः: of the Lord
• प्रभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• पञ्चवर्ष: five years
• पञ्चवर्ष: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; time-measure base

• अनन्तरम्: after
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तु: then
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• वाम: left
• वाम: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; compound member

• अङ्गुष्ठात्: from the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular

• चतुर्मुखः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (बहुव्रीहि: चतुर्मुख) ‘one who has four faces’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All progenitors and offices (Dakṣa, Brahmā) derive from the supreme source; hierarchy is rooted in origin.

Vedantic Theme: Sarva-kāraṇatva of the Lord; dependent reality (paratantra-sattā) of created beings.

Application: Reduce ego by remembering derivative status; honor teachers and lineage (śiṣya-bhāva) as cosmic principle.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.13 (thumb/limb-origin creation motifs)

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Brahma (Caturmukha)
• Prabhu (the Lord)

FAQs

What is the importance of Daksha’s birth in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places Daksha’s origin directly in the Lord’s creative power, establishing Daksha as a primordial progenitor (prajāpati) within the Purana’s genealogy framework.

How does this verse explain the emergence of Brahmā (Caturmukha)?

It states that the four-faced Brahmā manifests after a five-year interval, emerging from the Lord’s left thumb—presenting creation as a deliberate, staged unfolding rather than a random event.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

The verse encourages humility and disciplined learning—symbolized by “śiṣyātmaka”—and reminds practitioners to view lineage, duty, and creation as rooted in divine order (dharma).