The Account of Creation

Verse 1 (garuda.1.4.1)

।।रुद्र उवाच । सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंशानुचरितं चैव एतद् ब्रूहि जनार्दन

rudra uvāca sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca vaṁśānucaritaṁ caiva etad brūhi janārdana

Rudra said: Creation and re-creation, lineage, the ages of Manu, and the history of the lineages — tell me all this, O Janardana.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.4.2)

।। हरिरुवाच । श्रृणु रुद्र प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्गादीन्पापनाशनान् । सर्गस्थितिप्रलयान्तां तां विष्णोः क्रीडां पुरातनीम्

hariruvāca śrṛṇu rudra pravakṣyāmi sargādīnpāpanāśanān sargasthitipralayāntāṁ tāṁ viṣṇoḥ krīḍāṁ purātanīm

Hari said: Listen, O Rudra, I shall recount creation and the rest, which destroy sin — that ancient sport of Vishnu extending through creation, preservation, and dissolution.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.4.3)

नरनारायणो देवो वासुदेवो निरंजनः । परमात्मा परं ब्रह्म जगज्जनिलयादिकृत्

naranārāyaṇo devo vāsudevo niraṁjanaḥ paramātmā paraṁ brahma jagajjanilayādikṛt

The God Nara-Narayana, Vasudeva, taintless, the Supreme Self, the Supreme Brahman, is the maker of the world's birth, dissolution, and all else.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.4.4)

तदेतत्सर्वमेवैतव्द्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपवत् । तथा पुरुषरूपेण कालरूपेण च स्थितम्

tadetatsarvamevaitavdyaktāvyaktasvarūpavat tathā puruṣarūpeṇa kālarūpeṇa ca sthitam

All this rests in him, both in manifest and unmanifest form, and he abides also in the form of the Person and in the form of Time.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.4.5)

व्यक्तं विष्णुस्तथाऽव्यक्तं पुरुषः काल एव च । क्रीडतो बालकस्येव चेष्टास्तस्य निशामय

vyaktaṁ viṣṇustathā'vyaktaṁ puruṣaḥ kāla eva ca krīḍato bālakasyeva ceṣṭāstasya niśāmaya

Vishnu is the manifest, and he too is the unmanifest; he is the Person, and he is Time itself. Regard his sportive acts as the play of a child at his games.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.4.6)

अनादिनिधनो धाता त्वनन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः । तस्माद्भवति चाव्यक्तं तस्मादात्मापि जायते

anādinidhano dhātā tvanantaḥ puruṣottamaḥ tasmādbhavati cāvyaktaṁ tasmādātmāpi jāyate

He, the ordainer without beginning or end, the infinite, the Supreme Person — from him the unmanifest arises, and from him too the principle of self (mahat) is born.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.4.7)

तस्माहुद्धिर्मनस्तस्मात्ततः खं पवनस्ततः । तस्मात्तेजस्ततस्त्वापस्ततो भूमिस्ततोऽभवत्

tasmāhuddhirmanastasmāttataḥ khaṁ pavanastataḥ tasmāttejastatastvāpastato bhūmistato'bhavat

From that arose intellect, from that mind, from that ether, from that air, from that fire, from that water, and from that the earth came to be.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.4.8)

अण्डो हिरण्मयो रुद्र । तस्यान्तः स्वयमेव हि । शरीरग्रहणं पूर्वं सृष्ट्यर्थं कुरुते प्रभुः

aṇḍo hiraṇmayo rudra tasyāntaḥ svayameva hi śarīragrahaṇaṁ pūrvaṁ sṛṣṭyarthaṁ kurute prabhuḥ

O Rudra, that egg is golden. Within that egg the Lord himself, for the purpose of creation, first assumes a body.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.4.9)

ब्रह्मा चतुर्मुखो भूत्वा रजोमात्राधिकः सदा । शरीरग्रहणं कृत्वाऽसृजदेतच्चराचरम्

brahmā caturmukho bhūtvā rajomātrādhikaḥ sadā śarīragrahaṇaṁ kṛtvā'sṛjadetaccarācaram

Becoming the four-faced Brahma, ever predominant in the quality of rajas, assuming a body he created this world of moving and unmoving things.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.4.10)

अण्डस्यान्तर्जगत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम् । स्रष्टा सृजति चात्मानं विष्णुः पाल्यं च पाति च

aṇḍasyāntarjagatsarvaṁ sadevāsuramānuṣam sraṣṭā sṛjati cātmānaṁ viṣṇuḥ pālyaṁ ca pāti ca

Within that egg is the whole world, together with gods, demons, and men. Vishnu, the creator, creates his own form and protects what is to be protected.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.4.11)

अपसंह्रियते चान्ते संहर्त्ता च स्वयं हरि । ब्रह्मा भूत्वासृजद्विष्णुर्जगत्पाति हरिः स्वयम्

apasaṁhriyate cānte saṁharttā ca svayaṁ hari brahmā bhūtvāsṛjadviṣṇurjagatpāti hariḥ svayam

At the end he himself withdraws it. Becoming Brahma he creates; becoming Vishnu he himself preserves the world; it is Hari alone who does all this.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.4.12)

रुद्ररूपी च कल्पान्ते जगत्संहरतेऽखिलम् । ब्रह्मा तु सृष्टिकालेऽस्मिञ्जमध्यगतां महीम्

rudrarūpī ca kalpānte jagatsaṁharate'khilam brahmā tu sṛṣṭikāle'smiñjamadhyagatāṁ mahīm

And taking the form of Rudra, at the end of the aeon he destroys the whole world. In this age of creation, Brahma, knowing the earth to have sunk into the waters,

Verse 13 (garuda.1.4.13)

दंष्टूयोद्धरति ज्ञात्वा वारहीमास्थितस्तनूम् । देवादिसर्गाद्वक्ष्येऽहं संक्षेपाच्छृणु शङ्कर !

daṁṣṭūyoddharati jñātvā vārahīmāsthitastanūm devādisargādvakṣye'haṁ saṁkṣepācchṛṇu śaṅkara !

raises it up upon his tusks, having taken the form of a boar. O Shankara, I shall now describe in brief the creation of the gods and the rest — listen!

Verse 14 (garuda.1.4.14)

प्रथमो महतः सर्गो विरूपो ब्रह्मणस्तु सः । तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयस्तु भूतसर्गो हि स स्मृतः

prathamo mahataḥ sargo virūpo brahmaṇastu saḥ tanmātrāṇāṁ dvitīyastu bhūtasargo hi sa smṛtaḥ

The first creation is that of the great principle (mahat), which is Brahma's own unmanifest form. The second is the creation of the subtle elements, called the elemental creation.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.4.15)

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्गस्त्वैन्द्रियकः स्मृतः । इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः सम्भूतो बुद्धिपूर्वकः

vaikārikastṛtīyastu sargastvaindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ ityeṣa prākṛtaḥ sargaḥ sambhūto buddhipūrvakaḥ

The third is the modificatory creation, known as the creation of the senses. This is the primal creation, which comes about through intellect.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.4.16)

मुख्यसर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः । तिर्य्यक्स्त्रोतास्तु यः प्रोक्तस्तिर्य्यग्योन्यः स उच्यते

mukhyasargaścaturthastu mukhyā vai sthāvarāḥ smṛtāḥ tiryyakstrotāstu yaḥ proktastiryyagyonyaḥ sa ucyate

The fourth is the principal creation, in which the immobile beings (plants and the like) are called principal. What is called the transverse-current creation is the animal realm.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.4.17)

तदूर्द्धस्त्रोतसां षष्ठो देवसर्गस्तु स स्मृतः । ततोऽर्वाक्स्त्रोतसां सर्गः सप्तमः स तु मानुषः

tadūrddhastrotasāṁ ṣaṣṭho devasargastu sa smṛtaḥ tato'rvākstrotasāṁ sargaḥ saptamaḥ sa tu mānuṣaḥ

The sixth, of the upward current, is called the creation of the gods. The seventh, of the downward current, is the human creation.

Verse 18 (garuda.1.4.18)

अष्टमोऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसस्तु सः । पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः

aṣṭamo'nugrahaḥ sargaḥ sāttvikastāmasastu saḥ pañcaite vaikṛtāḥ sargāḥ prākṛtāstu trayaḥ smṛtāḥ

The eighth is the creation called anugraha (of favor), which is both sattvic and tamasic. These five are the modificatory creations, and three are called primal.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.4.19)

प्राकृतो वैकृतश्चापि कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः । स्थावरान्ताः सुराद्यास्तु प्रजा रुद्र ! चतुर्विधाः

prākṛto vaikṛtaścāpi kaumāro navamaḥ smṛtaḥ sthāvarāntāḥ surādyāstu prajā rudra ! caturvidhāḥ

Composed of both the primal and the modificatory, the ninth is called the Kaumara creation. O Rudra, from the immobile beings up to the gods, creatures are of four kinds.

Verse 20 (garuda.1.4.20)

ब्रह्मणः कुर्वतः सृष्टिं जज्ञिरे मानसाः सुताः । ततो देवासुरपितॄन्मानुषांश्च चतुष्टयम्

brahmaṇaḥ kurvataḥ sṛṣṭiṁ jajñire mānasāḥ sutāḥ tato devāsurapitṝnmānuṣāṁśca catuṣṭayam

As Brahma engaged in creation, mind-born sons were born to him. Then came the gods, the demons, the ancestors, and men — these four besides.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.4.21)

सिसृक्षुरम्भांस्येतानि स्वमात्मानमपूजयत् । मुक्तात्मनस्तमोमात्रादुद्रिक्तास्तत्प्रजापतेः

sisṛkṣurambhāṁsyetāni svamātmānamapūjayat muktātmanastamomātrādudriktāstatprajāpateḥ

Desiring to create these, he worshipped his own self. From that lord of creatures, whose soul was free, through an excess of the quality of tamas,

Verse 22 (garuda.1.4.22)

सिसृक्षेर्जघनात्पूर्वमसुरा जज्ञिरे ततः । उत्ससर्ज ततस्तां तु तमोमात्रात्मिकां तनूम्

sisṛkṣerjaghanātpūrvamasurā jajñire tataḥ utsasarja tatastāṁ tu tamomātrātmikāṁ tanūm

the demons were first born from his hip. Then he cast off that body, composed predominantly of tamas.

Verse 23 (garuda.1.4.23)

तमोमात्रा तनुस्त्यक्ता शङ्कराभूद्विभावरी । यक्षोपक्षांसि तद्देहे प्रीतिमापुस्ततः सुराः

tamomātrā tanustyaktā śaṅkarābhūdvibhāvarī yakṣopakṣāṁsi taddehe prītimāpustataḥ surāḥ

That discarded tamasic body became the darkness of night. From that body were born the yakshas and rakshasas; then the gods took delight in it.

Verse 24 (garuda.1.4.24)

सत्त्वोद्रिक्तास्तु मुखतः संभूता ब्रह्मणो हर ! । सत्त्वप्राया तनुस्तेन सन्त्यक्ता साप्यभूद्दिनम्

sattvodriktāstu mukhataḥ saṁbhūtā brahmaṇo hara ! sattvaprāyā tanustena santyaktā sāpyabhūddinam

O Hara, through an excess of sattva the gods were born from his mouth. That sattva-predominant body, when cast off, became the day.

Verse 25 (garuda.1.4.25)

ततो हि बलिनो रात्रावसुरा देवता दिवा । सत्त्वमात्रां तनुं गृह्य पितरश्च ततोऽभवन्

tato hi balino rātrāvasurā devatā divā sattvamātrāṁ tanuṁ gṛhya pitaraśca tato'bhavan

Thereafter the mighty demons hold sway at night, and the gods by day. Then, taking a body composed of sattva, the ancestors (pitrs) came into being.

Verse 26 (garuda.1.4.26)

सा चोत्सृष्टाभवत्सन्ध्या दिननक्तान्तरस्थितिः । रजोमात्रां तनुं गृह्य मनुष्यास्त्वभवंस्ततः

sā cotsṛṣṭābhavatsandhyā dinanaktāntarasthitiḥ rajomātrāṁ tanuṁ gṛhya manuṣyāstvabhavaṁstataḥ

That discarded body became the twilight, standing between day and night. Then, taking a body composed of rajas, men came into being.

Verse 27 (garuda.1.4.27)

सा त्यक्ता चाभवज्ज्योत्स्त्रा प्राक्सन्ध्या याभिधीयते । ज्योत्स्ना रात्र्यहनी सन्ध्या शरीराणि तु तस्य वै

sā tyaktā cābhavajjyotstrā prāksandhyā yābhidhīyate jyotsnā rātryahanī sandhyā śarīrāṇi tu tasya vai

That discarded body became moonlight, which is also called the morning twilight. Moonlight, night, day, and twilight — these are all bodies of that same lord of creatures.

Verse 28 (garuda.1.4.28)

रजोमात्रां तनु गृह्य क्षुदभूत्कोप एव च । क्षुत्तृट्क्षामा अमृग्भक्षा राक्षसा रक्षणाच्च ये

rajomātrāṁ tanu gṛhya kṣudabhūtkopa eva ca kṣuttṛṭkṣāmā amṛgbhakṣā rākṣasā rakṣaṇācca ye

Taking a body composed of rajas, hunger and wrath were born. Emaciated by hunger and thirst, flesh-eating, the rakshasas were so named from 'protection' —

Verse 29 (garuda.1.4.29)

यक्षाख्या यक्षणाज्ज्ञेयाः सर्पा वै केशसर्पणात् । जाताः कोपेन भूतास्ते गन्धर्वा जज्ञिरे ततः

yakṣākhyā yakṣaṇājjñeyāḥ sarpā vai keśasarpaṇāt jātāḥ kopena bhūtāste gandharvā jajñire tataḥ

the yakshas should be known by their name from 'yakshana' (offering), and serpents from the gliding (sarpaṇa) of hair. Born of wrath came the bhutas, and thereafter the gandharvas,

Verse 30 (garuda.1.4.30)

गायन्तो जज्ञिरे वाचं गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्च ये । स्वर्गं द्यौर्वक्षसश्चक्रे सुखतोऽजाः स सृष्टवान्

gāyanto jajñire vācaṁ gandharvāpsarasaśca ye svargaṁ dyaurvakṣasaścakre sukhato'jāḥ sa sṛṣṭavān

the gandharvas and apsarases, born singing, together with speech. From his breast, out of joy, he fashioned heaven and the sky; and he created goats as well.

Verse 31 (garuda.1.4.31)

सृष्टवानुदराद्राश्च पार्श्वाभ्यां च प्रजापतिः । पद्भ्यां चैवांत्यमातङ्गान्महिषोष्ट्राविकांस्तथा

sṛṣṭavānudarādrāśca pārśvābhyāṁ ca prajāpatiḥ padbhyāṁ caivāṁtyamātaṅgānmahiṣoṣṭrāvikāṁstathā

The lord of creatures created sheep from his belly and other creatures from his two flanks, and finally, from his feet, elephants, buffaloes, camels, and sheep.

Verse 32 (garuda.1.4.32)

ओषध्यः फलमूलिन्यो रोमभ्यस्तस्य जज्ञिरे । गौरजः पुरुषो मेध्यो ह्यश्वाश्वतरगर्दभाः

oṣadhyaḥ phalamūlinyo romabhyastasya jajñire gaurajaḥ puruṣo medhyo hyaśvāśvataragardabhāḥ

From his hairs were born the herbs bearing fruit and root. Cattle, the goat, man fit for sacrifice, the horse, the mule, and the donkey —

Verse 33 (garuda.1.4.33)

एतान् ग्राम्यान्पशून्प्राहुरारण्यांश्च निबोध मे । श्वापदं द्विखुरं हस्तिवानराः पक्षिपञ्चमाः

etān grāmyānpaśūnprāhurāraṇyāṁśca nibodha me śvāpadaṁ dvikhuraṁ hastivānarāḥ pakṣipañcamāḥ

these are called the domestic animals; now hear from me of the wild ones too. Clawed beasts of prey, cloven-hoofed animals, the elephant, monkeys, and fifth, birds —

Verse 34 (garuda.1.4.34)

औदकाः पशवः षष्ठाः सप्तमाश्च सरीसृपाः । पूर्वादिभ्यो मुखेभ्यस्तु ऋग्वेदाद्याः प्रजज्ञिरे

audakāḥ paśavaḥ ṣaṣṭhāḥ saptamāśca sarīsṛpāḥ pūrvādibhyo mukhebhyastu ṛgvedādyāḥ prajajñire

aquatic creatures are the sixth, and seventh are the reptiles. From the eastward and other faces were born the Rigveda and the other Vedas.

Verse 35 (garuda.1.4.35)

आस्याद्वै ब्राह्मणा जाता बाहुभ्यां क्षत्त्रियाः स्मृताः । ऊरुभ्यां तु विशः सृष्टाः शूद्रः पद्भ्यां जायत

āsyādvai brāhmaṇā jātā bāhubhyāṁ kṣattriyāḥ smṛtāḥ ūrubhyāṁ tu viśaḥ sṛṣṭāḥ śūdraḥ padbhyāṁ jāyata

From the mouth the brahmins were born, from the two arms the kshatriyas are said to arise; from the thighs the vaishyas were created, and from the feet the shudra was born.

Verse 36 (garuda.1.4.36)

ब्रह्मलोको ब्राह्मणानां शाक्रः क्षत्त्रियजन्मनाम् । मारुतं च विशां स्थानं गान्धर्वं शूद्रजन्मनाम्

brahmaloko brāhmaṇānāṁ śākraḥ kṣattriyajanmanām mārutaṁ ca viśāṁ sthānaṁ gāndharvaṁ śūdrajanmanām

The world of brahmins is Brahmaloka; of those born as kshatriyas, the world of Indra; the abode of vaishyas is the world of the Maruts; and of those born as shudras, the world of the gandharvas.

Verse 37 (garuda.1.4.37)

ब्रह्मचारिव्रतस्थानां ब्रह्मलोकः प्रजायते । प्राजापत्यं गृहस्थानां यथाविहितकारिणाम्

brahmacārivratasthānāṁ brahmalokaḥ prajāyate prājāpatyaṁ gṛhasthānāṁ yathāvihitakāriṇām

For those who abide in the vow of celibacy, Brahmaloka is attained. For householders who act according to the prescribed rites, the world of Prajapati is attained.

Verse 38 (garuda.1.4.38)

स्थानं सप्तऋषीणां च तथैव वनवासिनाम् । यतीनामक्षयं स्थानं यदृच्छागामिनां सदा

sthānaṁ saptaṛṣīṇāṁ ca tathaiva vanavāsinām yatīnāmakṣayaṁ sthānaṁ yadṛcchāgāmināṁ sadā

And for forest-dwellers, the abode of the Seven Sages. For ascetics who wander freely at will, the abode is ever imperishable.