Shloka 1

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

नाम प्रथमो ऽध्यायः श्रीशौनक उवाच / कथं ससर्ज भगवांस्तत्तत्तत्त्वाभिमानिनः / सृष्टिक्रमं न जानामि देवानां ह्यन्तरं मुने

Transliteration

nāma prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīśaunaka uvāca / kathaṃ sasarja bhagavāṃstattattattvābhimāninaḥ / sṛṣṭikramaṃ na jānāmi devānāṃ hyantaraṃ mune

Translation

Chương thứ nhất: “Danh”. Śrī Śaunaka thưa: “Đức Thế Tôn đã tạo ra các hữu tình tự đồng nhất với từng nguyên lý (tattva) như thế nào? Bạch hiền giả, con không biết trình tự tạo hóa, cũng không rõ sự sai biệt giữa các chư thiên.”

Word by Word

• nāma: named / indeed
• nāma: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb/Particle

• prathamaḥ: first
• prathamaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• śrīśaunakaḥ: Sri Shaunaka
• śrīśaunakaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīśaunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• katham: how
• katham: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative Adverb

• sasarja: created
• sasarja: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• tat-tat-tattva-abhimāninaḥ: the presiding deities of those respective elements
• tat-tat-tattva-abhimāninaḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattattattvābhimānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural

• sṛṣṭi-kramam: order of creation
• sṛṣṭi-kramam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• na: not
• na: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative Particle

• jānāmi: I know
• jānāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Parasmaipada, Uttama Purusha (1st), Singular

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis/Reason)

• antaram: difference / hierarchy
• antaram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• mune: O Sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular

Speaker

Śrī Śaunaka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Inquiry into srishti-krama: how Bhagavan projects beings identified with tattvas; distinguishing classes of devas and principles.

Vedantic Theme: Tattva-abhimana (identification with principles) as a key to bondage and cosmological manifestation; ordered causality (karya-karana) under Ishvara.

Application: Use cosmological inquiry to refine self-understanding: notice identifications (body/mind/roles) and trace them back to their causes; cultivate discrimination and humility in learning.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest-ashram

Cross References

Related Themes: 3.2.2–3.2.3 (Suta’s response; Garuda’s parallel question to Hari); Garuda Purana cosmology sections in the same adhyaya on srishti-krama

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (the Blessed Lord)
• Devas
• Muni (the sage addressed)

FAQs

What is the importance of tattva (principle) and tattva-abhimāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames creation as involving beings who develop identification (abhimāna) with specific cosmic principles (tattvas), a key idea for understanding how individuality and hierarchy arise in Purāṇic cosmology.

How does this verse explain the sequence of creation (sṛṣṭi-krama)?

It introduces the inquiry: Śaunaka requests a structured account of how the Lord produced beings aligned with different tattvas, setting up a step-by-step creation narrative in the following verses.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reflect on how identification with roles, elements, or mental states shapes experience; reducing rigid “I am this” identification supports clarity, humility, and dharmic living.