Shloka 3

Sṛṣṭi-krama: Brahmā’s Sequential Creation of Devas, Sages, and Sense-Presiding Powers

Devanagari script

नास्ति प्रयोजनं तेन तव मत्प्रीतये सृज / एवमुक्तस्तु हारिणा ब्रह्मा स्तुत्वा हरिं परम्

Transliteration

nāsti prayojanaṃ tena tava matprītaye sṛja / evamuktastu hāriṇā brahmā stutvā hariṃ param

Translation

“那并无必要；为令我欢喜、取悦于我而创造（世界）吧。”哈利（毗湿奴）如此吩咐后，梵天赞颂至上的哈利，遂依言而行。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• prayojanam: purpose/need
• prayojanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tena: by that / for that
• tena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tava: of you / your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mat-prītaye: for my satisfaction
• mat-prītaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘mat’ (my) + ‘prīti’ (pleasure)

• sṛja: create
• sṛja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• uktaḥ: having been told
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: then/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adversative/contrast particle (विरोध/अन्वय)

• hāriṇā: by Hari
• hāriṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• stutvā: having praised
• stutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal form (अव्ययभाव)

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘harim’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari), addressing Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation is undertaken for the pleasure (prīti) of the Supreme Hari; Brahmā acts as an instrument after offering stuti.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-kāraṇatva and nimitta-upādāna hierarchy: the Lord as supreme cause and goal; jīva/creator as dependent agent (paratantra).

Application: Dedicate one’s work (karma) as an offering to Viṣṇu; begin undertakings with praise/remembering of the Lord (smaraṇa, stuti).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda/cosmogony passages on sṛṣṭi under Viṣṇu’s will)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the importance of creating for God's pleasure in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames creation as an act aligned with Hari’s will—work is sanctified when done as an offering for the Lord’s satisfaction rather than personal agenda.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the larger Garuda Purana narrative?

By grounding the cosmos in divine intent, it implies that dharma and the soul’s journey are meaningful within a moral order overseen by Hari, not merely random fate.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform duties—study, work, service, and rituals—without ego, dedicating results to God; this cultivates steadiness, ethics, and devotion.