Shloka 32

Primordial Creation: From Brahman to the Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

रजोगुणधरो देवः स्वयमेव हरिः परः । ब्रह्मरूपंसमास्थाय जगत्स्रष्टुं प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

rajoguṇadharo devaḥ svayameva hariḥ paraḥ | brahmarūpaṃsamāsthāya jagatsraṣṭuṃ pravartate

Translation

พระหริผู้สูงสุดทรงรับคุณรชัสด้วยพระองค์เอง แล้วทรงอวตารเป็นพระพรหม และทรงเริ่มกิจแห่งการสร้างสรรพจักรวาล

Word by Word

• रजः-गुण-धरः: bearing the quality of rajas
• रजः-गुण-धरः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('bearer of the rajas-guṇa'); विशेषण

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis particle)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म-रूपम्: the form of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• समास्थाय: having assumed
• समास्थाय: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (object of infinitive 'to create the world')

• स्रष्टुम्: to create
• स्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to create)

• प्रवर्तते: sets in motion, proceeds
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (Purāṇic narration within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मरूपं + समास्थाय → ब्रह्मरूपंसमास्थाय (अनुस्वार-सन्धि); जगत् + स्रष्टुम् → जगत्स्रष्टुम्.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahma

FAQs

How does this verse explain creation in terms of the three guṇas?

It links cosmic creation to rajas (the guṇa of activity), stating that Hari assumes rajas and manifests as Brahmā to initiate sṛṣṭi (creation).

Does the verse identify Brahmā as independent or as a form of Hari?

It presents Brahmā’s creative role as a manifestation assumed by the Supreme Hari, emphasizing a Vaiṣṇava framing where Brahmā functions through Hari’s power.

What is the core theological message of this śloka?

The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord (Hari) is the ultimate source who, by adopting a specific cosmic function and guṇa, begins the act of creating the universe.