Shloka 276

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

सृज प्रजा: पुत्र सर्वा मुखत: पादतस्तथा । कहा जाता है

Transliteration

sṛja prajāḥ putra sarvā mukhataḥ pādataś tathā |

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：“孩子啊，从你的口中创造一切众生，也同样从你的足下创造。”在相关叙事中，宇宙之主那罗延显现梵天，并命其由诸肢体生出万类众生，昭示一种有序而有意的创造。

Word by Word

• सृज: create
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचन

• प्रजाः: creatures, subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मुखतः: from the mouth
• मुखतः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुख
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb)

• पादतः: from the feet
• पादतः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पाद
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb)

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Brahmā
• Nārāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Creation is presented as intentional and structured: the Lord directs Brahmā to generate all beings from different limbs, implying a cosmos where diversity of roles and forms arises from a single divine source and is meant to function in harmony under dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a command addressed to Brahmā—called “son”—to create all creatures from the mouth and also from the feet; in the broader passage, Nārāyaṇa is the supreme deity who manifests Brahmā and commissions him to undertake the work of creation.