Verse 1

Bahvricha

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

देवी ह्येकाग्र एवासीत् । सैव जगदण्डम् असृजत् । कामकलेति विज्ञायते । शृङ्गारकलेति विज्ञायते ॥१॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

देवी । हि । एक-अग्रे । एव । आसीत् । सा । एव । जगत्-अण्डम् । असृजत् । काम-कला । इति । विज्ञायते । शृङ्गार-कला । इति । विज्ञायते ॥१॥

IAST Transliteration

devī hy ekāgre evāsīt | saiva jagadaṇḍam asṛjat | kāmakaleti vijñāyate | śṛṅgārakaleti vijñāyate ||1||

Translation

ఆదిలో దేవియే ఏకాగ్రంగా ఏకమాత్రంగా ఉన్నది. ఆమెనే జగదండం (బ్రహ్మాండం) సృష్టించింది. ఆమె ‘కామకలా’గా ప్రసిద్ధి; ‘శృంగారకలా’గా కూడా ప్రసిద్ధి॥१॥

Academic Translation

Indeed, the Goddess alone existed in the beginning. She herself created the cosmic egg. She is known as “Kāmakalā”; she is known as “Śṛṅgārakalā.”

Verse Context

• Śakti as Brahman (cosmic causality; manifestation from the One)
• Mahavakya: Supports the purport of “Aham brahmāsmi” by identifying the ultimate reality as the one consciousness-power (Śakti) prior to creation; also aligns with “Prajnānam brahma” (consciousness as ultimate).
• Rig
• Bāṣkala (Bahvṛca/R̥gveda tradition) Shakha
• Chandas: Prose