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Shloka 4

मानवसर्गः, चातुर्वर्ण्य-गुणकर्म, यज्ञ-प्रतिपादनम्, आश्रमधर्म-फल, नरकवर्णनम्

वक्षसो रजसोद्रिक्तास् तथान्या ब्रह्मणो ऽभवन् रजसा तमसा चैव समुद्रिक्तास् तथोरुतः

vakṣaso rajasodriktās tathānyā brahmaṇo 'bhavan rajasā tamasā caiva samudriktās tathorutaḥ

从梵天的胸中生起了以罗阇(rajas)为主的众生;又从梵天的另一处也出现了以罗阇为标志的生命。并且从其大腿显现出罗阇与昏暗(tamas)共同增强的众生。

वक्षसःof the chest
वक्षसः:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootवक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
रजसःof rajas (passion)
रजसः:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootरजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
उद्रिक्ताःpredominant; increased
उद्रिक्ताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्रिक्त (उद्-रिच्/रेक्-धातुज कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (thus/likewise)
अन्याःothers (beings)
अन्याः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
ब्रह्मणःof Brahmā
ब्रह्मणः:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
अभवन्came to be; arose
अभवन्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)
रजसाwith rajas
रजसा:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootरजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
तमसाwith tamas (darkness)
तमसा:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)
समुद्रिक्ताःthoroughly predominant
समुद्रिक्ताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम् + उद्रिक्त (उद्-रिच्/रेक्-धातुज कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (likewise)
ऊरुतःfrom the thigh
ऊरुतः:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Differentiation of beings by guṇa predominance in Brahmā’s embodied creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Creation Stage: Secondary

Concept: Beings arise from Brahmā in differentiated streams according to rajas and tamas (and their mixtures), yet the overall process is governed by the Supreme Lord’s ordinance.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Notice how rajas/tamas shape impulses; deliberately cultivate sattva through disciplined life, ethical conduct, and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Maintains real plurality and gradation (guṇa-based) within a single divine governance—Viṣṇu as transcendent ruler whose śāsana orders Brahmā’s delegated creation.

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Jagat Karana: Yes

B
Brahmā
G
Guṇas (rajas, tamas)
V
Viṣṇu (as supreme ordainer of creation)

FAQs

It explains that created beings differ according to the dominance and mixture of rajas and tamas, showing creation as a graded manifestation shaped by the guṇas rather than a uniform emergence.

Parāśara describes Brahmā’s emanation of beings from specific bodily loci (chest, thigh), emphasizing that each emergence corresponds to a particular guṇa-condition—especially rajas alone or rajas mixed with tamas.

Even when Brahmā is described as producing beings, the Vishnu Purana frames such creation as secondary and governed by the Supreme Lord’s overarching sovereignty, with the guṇas operating within Viṣṇu’s cosmic order.