Shloka 18

Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)

Devanagari script

अहडूकाराच्च सम्भूतं मनो भूतगुणात्मकम्‌ | तृतीय: सर्ग इत्येष आहड्कारिक उच्यते,अहंकारसे मन उत्पन्न हुआ है, जो पञ्चभूत और शब्दादि गुणस्वरूप है। इसे तीसरा और आहंकारिक सर्ग कहा जाता है

Transliteration

ahaṅkārāc ca sambhūtaṃ mano bhūta-guṇātmakam | tṛtīyaḥ sarga ity eṣa āhaṅkārika ucyate ||

Translation

యాజ్ఞవల్క్యుడు పలికెను—అహంకారము నుండి మనస్సు ఉద్భవిస్తుంది; అది భూతములు మరియు వాటి గుణములతో కూడినది. దీనినే మూడవ సర్గమని, ‘ఆహంకారిక’ సృష్టి అని అంటారు.

Word by Word

अहङ्कारात्from ego-principle (ahaṅkāra)

चand

सम्भूतम्arisen/produced

मनःmind

भूतगुणात्मकम्consisting of the qualities of the elements

तृतीयःthird

सर्गःcreation/emanation

इतिthus

एषःthis

आहङ्कारिकःpertaining to ahaṅkāra

उच्यतेis said/is called

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

य

याज्ञवल्क्य (Yājñavalkya)

अ

अहङ्कार (ahaṅkāra)

म

मनस्/मनः (manas)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a causal sequence in inner and cosmic evolution: from ahaṅkāra (ego-sense) arises manas (mind), which operates through the framework of elements and their qualities. Ethically, it implies that misidentification (‘I’ and ‘mine’) generates mental agitation and attachment; reducing ego-sense is therefore central to self-mastery and liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Yājñavalkya explains stages of creation/manifestation. Here he identifies the mind as a product of ahaṅkāra and labels this as the third, ‘ahaṅkāric’ creation—part of a systematic account of how the inner instruments arise and condition experience.