Shloka 79
Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation
with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision
ब्रह्माणं प्रथमं वक्त्रादुद्गातारं च सामगं । होतारं च तथाद्ध्वर्युं बाहुभ्यामसृजत्प्रभुः
brahmāṇaṃ prathamaṃ vaktrādudgātāraṃ ca sāmagaṃ | hotāraṃ ca tathāddhvaryuṃ bāhubhyāmasṛjatprabhuḥ
वक्त्रात् प्रथमं ब्रह्माणं सामगं चोद्गातारं प्रभुः ससर्ज। बाहुभ्यां तु तथैव होतारं चाध्वर्युं च निर्ममे॥
Narratorial voice within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa creation account (speaker not explicit in the provided verse).
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वक्त्रादुद्गातारम् = वक्त्रात् + उद्गातारम्; तथाद्ध्वर्युम् = तथा + अध्वर्युम् (आ + अ → आ); बाहुभ्यामसृजत् = बाहुभ्याम् + असृजत्.
FAQs
The verse describes the Lord bringing forth the principal Vedic priestly roles—Brahman, Udgātṛ (Sāma-chanter), Hotṛ, and Adhvaryu—assigning them an origin tied to divine body-parts (mouth and arms).
It reflects the classical four-priest system of Vedic yajña: Hotṛ (Ṛgveda recitation), Adhvaryu (Yajurveda ritual operations), Udgātṛ (Sāmaveda chant), and Brahman (overall supervisory priest), presenting them as primordial functions established by the Lord.
The verse emphasizes a creation theology where sacred order (ṛta/dharma) and ritual authority originate from the Lord, portraying Vedic rites and their officiants as divinely instituted rather than merely human conventions.