Shloka 54

Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice and the Manifestation of Sarasvatī

with Tīrtha-Merit Teachings

Devanagari script

विकृतश्च विकारश्च यच्चान्यत्कारणं महत् । ऋग्यजुः सामाथर्वाख्या वेदाश्चत्वार एव च

Transliteration

vikṛtaśca vikāraśca yaccānyatkāraṇaṃ mahat | ṛgyajuḥ sāmātharvākhyā vedāścatvāra eva ca

Translation

विकृतिरूपं विकाराश्च यच्चान्यत् कारणं महत्—तथैव वेदाश्चत्वार एव; ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वाख्याः प्रसिद्धाः।

Word by Word

• विकृतः: the modified/created (entity)
• विकृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विकारः: change/transformation
• विकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ऋक्: Ṛg(-veda)
• ऋक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वेदनाम

• यजुः: Yajur(-veda)
• यजुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; वेदनाम

• साम: Sāma(-veda)
• साम: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; वेदनाम

• अथर्वाख्याः: called Atharva (i.e., Atharva-veda)
• अथर्वाख्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अथर्व + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अथर्व-आख्या = ‘Atharva-named’), विशेषण

• वेदाः: Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: vikṛtaśca → vikṛtaḥ + ca. vikāraśca → vikāraḥ + ca. yaccānyat → yat + ca + anyat. ṛgyajuḥ → ṛk + yajuḥ (juxtaposition in dvandva-like listing). sāmātharvākhyā → sāma + atharva-ākhyāḥ (ā + a sandhi). vedāścatvāraḥ → vedāḥ + catvāraḥ.

FAQs

What is meant by vikṛta and vikāra in this verse?

Vikṛta refers to the manifested effect (a produced form), while vikāra denotes its subsequent modifications or transformations—language commonly used in cosmological and Sāṅkhya-style descriptions of causation.

What does the verse affirm about the Vedas?

It explicitly states that the Vedas are four: Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma, and Atharva.

How does ‘mahat’ function here philosophically?

Mahat is presented as a “great” causal principle—often aligned with the Mahat-tattva (cosmic intelligence) in Indian cosmological frameworks—serving as a foundational cause in the chain of manifestation.