Shloka 3

अव्यक्तकालमान-निर्णयः

Measures of Time from the Unmanifest; Creation, Elements, and the Primacy of Mind

Devanagari script

हंसो भूत्वाथ सौवर्णस्त्वजो नित्य: प्रजापति: । स वै पर्येति लोकांस्त्रीनथ साध्यानुपागमत्‌

Transliteration

haṁso bhūtvātha sauvarṇas tv ajo nityaḥ prajāpatiḥ | sa vai paryeti lokāṁs trīn atha sādhyan upāgamat ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا— ایک بار اَجنما اور نِتیہ پرجاپتی نے سنہری ہنس کی صورت اختیار کی اور تینوں لوکوں میں گردش کرنے لگے؛ گردش کرتے کرتے وہ سادھیہ گن کے پاس جا پہنچے۔

Word by Word

• हंसः: a swan
• हंसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active, Non-finite

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सौवर्णः: golden
• सौवर्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वजः: Tvaja (a name/epithet)
• त्वजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यः: eternal
• नित्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (the progenitor)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पर्येति: goes around, wanders
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + इ
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• साध्यान्: the Sādhyas (a class of deities)
• साध्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपागमत्: approached, reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Past), Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prajāpati
• Haṁsa (golden swan form)
• Three worlds (trailokya)
• Sādhyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse sets up a dharma-teaching context: the eternal, unborn Prajāpati adopts a symbolic form (a golden haṁsa) and traverses all realms, implying that wisdom and moral instruction are not confined to one place or status and may be conveyed through emblematic appearances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that Prajāpati, taking the form of a golden swan, roams the three worlds and eventually arrives among the Sādhyas, preparing the ground for a dialogue or teaching to celestial beings.