Shloka 18

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

(८)अष्टमो ऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसस्तु सः / पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः

Transliteration

(8)aṣṭamo 'nugrahaḥ sargaḥ sāttvikastāmasastu saḥ / pañcaite vaikṛtāḥ sargāḥ prākṛtāstu trayaḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Thứ tám là sự sáng tạo gọi là “Anugraha” (sáng tạo do ân điển thiêng liêng), mang tính chất vừa sāttvika vừa tāmasa. Năm loại ấy được gọi là các sáng tạo vaikṛta (biến hóa), còn ba loại được ghi nhớ là prākṛta (nguyên sơ).

Word by Word

• aṣṭamaḥ: eighth
• aṣṭamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• anugrahaḥ: favor; grace
• anugrahaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sargaḥ: creation; emanation
• sargaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sāttvikaḥ: sattvic
• sāttvikaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāttvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• tāmasaḥ: tamasic
• tāmasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmasa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• saḥ: that; he/it
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• vaikṛtāḥ: modified; secondary (vaikṛta)
• vaikṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• sargāḥ: creations
• sargāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• prākṛtāḥ: primary; natural (prākṛta)
• prākṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: traya (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• smṛtāḥ: are said; are remembered
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘are said/remembered’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Distinction of prākṛta (primordial) and vaikṛta (evolute) creations; anugraha-sarga as grace-mediated manifestation with mixed guṇa-character.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-vyavasthā and prakṛti-pariṇāma: the world-process as graded manifestation under sattva/tamas, implying the Self’s transcendence of guṇas.

Application: Use guṇa-awareness to interpret experience: cultivate sattva (clarity) while recognizing tamas-driven inertia as part of conditioned creation; support discernment (viveka).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.4.19-22 (continuation of sarga taxonomy and progeny classes)

FAQs

What is the importance of Anugraha Sarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Anugraha Sarga as a distinct mode of creation rooted in divine grace, showing that cosmic manifestation is not only mechanical (prakṛti-driven) but also connected to higher governance and purpose.

How does this verse explain the structure of creation (sarga)?

It divides creations into two broad groups—five ‘vaikṛta’ (evolute/modified) creations and three ‘prākṛta’ (primordial) creations—placing Anugraha as the eighth and describing its mixed guṇa-nature (sāttvika and tāmasa).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seeing life as shaped by both guṇas and grace encourages self-cultivation of sattva (clarity, ethics, discipline) while remaining humble to forces beyond personal control.