Shloka 9

Pātāla and Naraka Enumeration; Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa and Nārāyaṇa’s Pervasion

Devanagari script

वारिवह्न्यनिलाकाशैर्वृतं भूतादिना च तत् / तदण्डं महता रुद्र ! प्रधानेन च वेष्टितम्

Transliteration

vārivahnyanilākāśairvṛtaṃ bhūtādinā ca tat / tadaṇḍaṃ mahatā rudra ! pradhānena ca veṣṭitam

Translation

那宇宙之卵被水、火、风与虚空所围裹，又被自“部多”（Bhūta）等起的诸元素所环护。噢，鲁陀罗啊，那宏大的卵更复被“摩诃特”（Mahat，宇宙大智）与“普拉达那”（Pradhāna，本原自然）重重包裹。

Word by Word

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• वह्नि: fire
• वह्नि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• अनिल: wind
• अनिल: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• आकाशैः: by ether/space
• आकाशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by/with spaces/ether’

• वृतम्: covered, enclosed
• वृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘covered/enclosed’

• भूतादिना: by the group beginning with beings (elements etc.)
• भूतादिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भूतादि-समूहेन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that (cosmic entity/egg)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; पुनरुक्ति

• अण्डम्: cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• महता: by/with the great (one/force)
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रधानेन: by Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सांख्य-तत्त्व ‘प्रकृति/प्रधान’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वेष्टितम्: enveloped, wrapped
• वेष्टितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘wrapped/enveloped’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos is layered: gross elements and subtle principles (Mahat, Pradhāna) envelop manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Discrimination (viveka) between the seen (vyakta) and the unmanifest (avyakta/Pradhāna); pointer toward the substratum beyond tattvas.

Application: Contemplate layers of experience (body-senses-mind-intellect-causal tendencies) to loosen identification and cultivate inward detachment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmological structure (aṇḍa and kośa-like coverings)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana cosmological passages that integrate Sāṅkhya-like tattvas with Purāṇic brahmāṇḍa imagery

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Mahat
• Pradhana
• Pancha Mahabhutas

FAQs

What is the importance of Pradhāna and Mahat in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a Sāṅkhya-style cosmology: beyond the gross elemental layers, the universe is ultimately conditioned by Mahat (cosmic intellect) and Pradhāna (primordial Nature), showing creation as a graded, layered emergence from subtle to gross.

How does this verse explain the structure of the universe (brahmāṇḍa)?

It describes the brahmāṇḍa as an ‘egg’ wrapped in successive coverings—space, air, fire, water, and elemental principles—indicating that the cosmos is not random but organized as concentric layers of tattvas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a contemplative map: refine attention from gross experience (elements) toward subtler causes (mind/intellect and nature), supporting meditation, detachment, and a clearer sense of spiritual priorities.