Shloka 9

Śravaṇa-Mahātmya: The Śravaṇas, Cosmic Testimony, and the Paths of the Puruṣārthas

Devanagari script

सृष्ट्वैतदादिकं सर्वं तपस्तेपे तु पद्मजः / गतानि बहुवर्षाणि ब्रह्मणो नाभिपङ्कजे

Transliteration

sṛṣṭvaitadādikaṃ sarvaṃ tapastepe tu padmajaḥ / gatāni bahuvarṣāṇi brahmaṇo nābhipaṅkaje

Translation

ఆది తత్త్వములతో ప్రారంభమై ఈ సమస్తాన్ని సృష్టించిన తరువాత పద్మజ బ్రహ్మ తపస్సు చేసెను. విష్ణువు నాభి నుండి పుట్టిన పద్మంపై ఆసీనుడైన బ్రహ్మకు అనేక సంవత్సరాలు గడిచెను.

Word by Word

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; अव्ययीभाव/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• एतदादिकम्: this and the rest, beginning with this
• एतदादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम्)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘समस्तं जगत्’ अर्थे

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• पद्मजः: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• पद्मजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘पद्मात् जातः’ (ब्रह्मा)

• गतानि: passed, gone by
• गतानि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (गत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, विशेषण (बहुवर्षाणि)

• बहुवर्षाणि: many years
• बहुवर्षाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नाभिपङ्कजे: in the lotus of the navel
• नाभिपङ्कजे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the creator-god stabilizes creation through tapas—disciplined contemplation—over vast spans of time.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of causality: Brahmā as nimitta in secondary creation rests upon Viṣṇu as ultimate ground; tapas as inner purification enabling right manifestation.

Application: Sustain long-term practice (japa, meditation, study) before major undertakings; let clarity mature over time rather than forcing outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic lotus-seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: creation narratives that place Brahmā on the nābhi-kamala of Viṣṇu; Garuda Purana: praise of tapas and mantra as sources of siddhi and order

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana’s cosmology?

This verse presents tapas as the sustaining spiritual force even after creation—Brahmā, though creator, relies on austerity to stabilize and unfold the manifested order.

How does this verse connect Brahmā to Viṣṇu in the Garuda Purana narrative?

By stating that Brahmā remains on the lotus arising from the navel, the verse frames Brahmā’s creative function as dependent on Viṣṇu, the cosmic support from whom the lotus-seat originates.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

The verse emphasizes disciplined practice (tapas)—consistent self-restraint, prayer, or meditation—as a means to bring clarity and stability to one’s duties, not merely to begin tasks but to sustain them.