The Natural and Modified Creations

Verse 1 (markandeya.47.1)

क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच यथा ससर्ज वै ब्रह्मा भगवानादिकृत् प्रजाः । प्रजापतिः पतिर्देवस्तन्मे विस्तरतो वद ॥ 47.1 ॥

krauṣṭukiruvāca yathā sasarja vai brahmā bhagavānādikṛt prajāḥ prajāpatiḥ patirdevastanme vistarato vada

Kraushtuki said: Please tell me in full detail how Bhagavan Brahma, the primal creator, the lord of the Prajapatis and of the gods, created his creatures.

Verse 2 (markandeya.47.2)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच कथयाम्येष ते ब्रह्मन् ससर्ज भगवान् यथा । लोककृच्छाश्वतः कृत्स्नं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥ 47.2 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca kathayāmyeṣa te brahman sasarja bhagavān yathā lokakṛcchāśvataḥ kṛtsnaṁ jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam

Markandeya said: I shall tell you, O brahmin, how Bhagavan, the eternal maker of the worlds, created this entire universe of moving and unmoving beings.

Verse 3 (markandeya.47.3)

पद्मावसाने प्रलये निशासुत्पोत्थितः प्रभुः । सत्त्वोद्रिक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा शून्यं लोकमवैक्षत ॥ 47.3 ॥

padmāvasāne pralaye niśāsutpotthitaḥ prabhuḥ sattvodriktastadā brahmā śūnyaṁ lokamavaikṣata

At the close of the dissolution-night of the Padma kalpa, the Lord arose; and Brahma, then filled with an excess of sattva, beheld the world as empty.

Verse 4 (markandeya.47.4)

इमञ्चोदाहरन्त्यत्र श्लोकं नारायणं प्रति । ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणं देवं जगतः प्रभवाप्ययम् ॥ 47.4 ॥

imañcodāharantyatra ślokaṁ nārāyaṇaṁ prati brahmasvarūpiṇaṁ devaṁ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam

Here people recite this very verse concerning Narayana — the god whose form is Brahman itself, from whom the world arises and into whom it dissolves.

Verse 5 (markandeya.47.5)

आपो नारा वै तनव इत्यपां नाम शुश्रुम । तासु शेते स यस्माच्च तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ॥ 47.5 ॥

āpo nārā vai tanava ityapāṁ nāma śuśruma tāsu śete sa yasmācca tena nārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ

'The waters are called nara, for they are truly his body' — thus have we heard the meaning of the word 'waters'; and because he reclines (śete) upon them, he is remembered as Narayana.

Verse 6 (markandeya.47.6)

विबुद्धः सलिले तस्मिन् विज्ञायान्तर्गतां महीम् । अनुमानात् समुद्धारं कर्तुकामस्तदा क्षिते ॥ 47.6 ॥

vibuddhaḥ salile tasmin vijñāyāntargatāṁ mahīm anumānāt samuddhāraṁ kartukāmastadā kṣite

Awakened upon those waters, and knowing by inference that the earth lay submerged within them, he then desired to raise the earth up.

Verse 7 (markandeya.47.7)

अकरोत् स तनूरन्याः कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा । मत्स्यकूर्मादिकास्तद्वद्वाराहं वपुरास्थितः ॥ 47.7 ॥

akarot sa tanūranyāḥ kalpādiṣu yathā purā matsyakūrmādikāstadvadvārāhaṁ vapurāsthitaḥ

Just as in the earlier kalpas he had assumed other bodies — fish, tortoise, and the like — so now he took on the form of the Boar.

Verse 8 (markandeya.47.8)

वेदयज्ञमयं दिव्यं वेदयज्ञमयो विभुः । रूपं कृत्वा विवेशाप्सु सर्वगः सर्वसम्भवः ॥ 47.8 ॥

vedayajñamayaṁ divyaṁ vedayajñamayo vibhuḥ rūpaṁ kṛtvā viveśāpsu sarvagaḥ sarvasambhavaḥ

Assuming a divine form made of the Veda and the sacrifice, the all-pervading Lord, himself made of the Veda and sacrifice, the source of all things, entered the waters.

Verse 9 (markandeya.47.9)

समुद्धृकत्य च पातालान्मुमोच सलिले भुवम् । जनलोकस्थितैः सिद्धैश्चिन्त्यमानो जगत्पतिः ॥ 47.9 ॥

samuddhṛkatya ca pātālānmumoca salile bhuvam janalokasthitaiḥ siddhaiścintyamāno jagatpatiḥ

Lifting the earth up from the netherworld, he set it upon the waters — that Lord of the universe, meditated upon by the perfected sages dwelling in Janaloka.

Verse 10 (markandeya.47.10)

तस्योपरि जलौघस्य महती नैरिव स्थिता । विततत्वात्तु देहस्य न मही याति संप्लवम् ॥ 47.10 ॥

tasyopari jalaughasya mahatī nairiva sthitā vitatatvāttu dehasya na mahī yāti saṁplavam

Upon that vast expanse of water it rested like a great vessel; and because his body was so vastly spread out, the earth did not sink into the flood.

Verse 11 (markandeya.47.11)

ततः क्षितिं समीकृत्य पृथिव्यां सोऽसृजद् गिरीन् । प्राक् सर्गे दह्यमाने तु तदा संवर्तकाग्निना ॥ 47.11 ॥

tataḥ kṣitiṁ samīkṛtya pṛthivyāṁ so'sṛjad girīn prāk sarge dahyamāne tu tadā saṁvartakāgninā

Then, leveling the earth, he created the mountains upon it — for at the start of creation the former mountains had been burned away by the fire of dissolution.

Verse 12 (markandeya.47.12)

तेनाग्निना विशीर्णास्ते पर्वता भुवि सर्वशः । शैला एकार्णवे मग्ना वायुनापस्तु संहताः ॥ 47.12 ॥

tenāgninā viśīrṇāste parvatā bhuvi sarvaśaḥ śailā ekārṇave magnā vāyunāpastu saṁhatāḥ

By that fire the mountains had crumbled and scattered all over the earth; and the rocks, sunk in the single ocean, were gathered together by wind and water.

Verse 13 (markandeya.47.13)

निषक्ता यत्र यत्रासंस्तत्र तत्राचलाभवन् । भूविभागन्ततः कृत्वा सप्तद्वीपोपशोभितम् ॥ 47.13 ॥

niṣaktā yatra yatrāsaṁstatra tatrācalābhavan bhūvibhāgantataḥ kṛtvā saptadvīpopaśobhitam

Wherever they came to lodge, there they became mountains once more; and thus, having divided the earth, he made it beautiful with the seven continents.

Verse 14 (markandeya.47.14)

भूराद्यांश्चतुरो लोकान् पूर्वंवत् समकल्पयत् । सृष्टिञ्चिन्तयतस्तस्य कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा ॥ 47.14 ॥

bhūrādyāṁścaturo lokān pūrvaṁvat samakalpayat sṛṣṭiñcintayatastasya kalpādiṣu yathā purā

He fashioned again the four worlds beginning with Bhuloka, just as before; and as he then pondered on creation, just as in the earlier kalpas —

Verse 15 (markandeya.47.15)

अबुद्धिपूर्वकस्तस्मात् प्रादुर्भूतस्तमोमयः । तमो मोहो महामोहस्तामिस्त्रो ह्यन्धसंज्ञितः ॥ 47.15 ॥

abuddhipūrvakastasmāt prādurbhūtastamomayaḥ tamo moho mahāmohastāmistro hyandhasaṁjñitaḥ

— from him, without any prior deliberation, there arose the creation made of tamas: darkness, delusion, great delusion, and the two called tamisra and andha-tamisra.

Verse 16 (markandeya.47.16)

अविद्या पञ्चपर्वैषा प्रादुर्भूता महात्मनः । पञ्चधावस्थितः सर्गो ध्यायतोऽप्रतिबोधवान् ॥ 47.16 ॥

avidyā pañcaparvaiṣā prādurbhūtā mahātmanaḥ pañcadhāvasthitaḥ sargo dhyāyato'pratibodhavān

This fivefold ignorance arose from that great being; as he meditated, this creation stood established in five forms, itself devoid of any awareness.

Verse 17 (markandeya.47.17)

बहिरन्तश्चाप्रकाशः संवृतात्मा नगात्मकः । मुख्या नगा यतश्चोक्ता मुख्यसर्गस्ततस्त्वयम् ॥ 47.17 ॥

bahirantaścāprakāśaḥ saṁvṛtātmā nagātmakaḥ mukhyā nagā yataścoktā mukhyasargastatastvayam

Unillumined both without and within, of enclosed nature and tree-like, immobile — since these are called 'mukhya', this creation is known as the 'mukhya-sarga', the primary creation of plants.

Verse 18 (markandeya.47.18)

तं दृष्ट्वासाधकं सर्गममन्यदपरं पुनः । तस्याभिध्यायतः सर्गं तिर्यक्स्त्रोतो ह्यवर्तत ॥ 47.18 ॥

taṁ dṛṣṭvāsādhakaṁ sargamamanyadaparaṁ punaḥ tasyābhidhyāyataḥ sargaṁ tiryakstroto hyavartata

Seeing that this creation did not achieve its purpose, he resolved upon another; and as he meditated further, the 'tiryak-srotas' creation came into being.

Verse 19 (markandeya.47.19)

यस्मात्तिर्यक्प्रवृत्तिः सा तिर्यक्स्त्रोतस्ततः स्मृतः । पश्वादयस्ते विख्यातास्तमः प्रायो ह्यवेदिनः ॥ 47.19 ॥

yasmāttiryakpravṛttiḥ sā tiryakstrotastataḥ smṛtaḥ paśvādayaste vikhyātāstamaḥ prāyo hyavedinaḥ

Because their activity moves crosswise, this creation is called 'tiryak-srotas'; these beings, known as cattle and the like, are mostly filled with tamas and without understanding.

Verse 20 (markandeya.47.20)

अत्पथग्राहिनश्चैव तेऽज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिनः । अहङ्कृता अहंमाना अष्टाविशशद्विधात्मकाः ॥ 47.20 ॥

atpathagrāhinaścaiva te'jñāne jñānamāninaḥ ahaṅkṛtā ahaṁmānā aṣṭāviśaśadvidhātmakāḥ

They cling to wrong paths, mistaking ignorance for knowledge, filled with self-conceit and pride, and are of twenty-eight kinds.

Verse 21 (markandeya.47.21)

अन्तः प्रकाशास्ते सर्वे आवृतास्तु परस्परम् । तमप्यसाधकं मत्वा ध्यायतोऽन्यस्ततोऽभवत् ॥ 47.21 ॥

antaḥ prakāśāste sarve āvṛtāstu parasparam tamapyasādhakaṁ matvā dhyāyato'nyastato'bhavat

All these are inwardly luminous yet veiled from one another; deeming this creation too unfulfilling, and as he meditated on, still another creation then arose.

Verse 22 (markandeya.47.22)

ऊर्ध्वस्त्रोतस्तृतीयस्तु सात्त्विकः समवर्तत । ते सुखप्रीतिबहुला बहिरन्तस्त्वनावृताः ॥ 47.22 ॥

ūrdhvastrotastṛtīyastu sāttvikaḥ samavartata te sukhaprītibahulā bahirantastvanāvṛtāḥ

This third creation, the sattvic 'urdhva-srotas', then came about; these beings are full of joy and delight, unveiled both without and within.

Verse 23 (markandeya.47.23)

प्रकाशा बहिरन्तश्च ऊर्ध्वस्त्रोतः समुद्भवाः । तुष्टात्मकस्तृतीयस्तु देवसर्गो हि स स्मृतः ॥ 47.23 ॥

prakāśā bahirantaśca ūrdhvastrotaḥ samudbhavāḥ tuṣṭātmakastṛtīyastu devasargo hi sa smṛtaḥ

Luminous both without and within, born of the upward-flowing current, contentment-natured, this third creation is remembered as the creation of the gods.

Verse 24 (markandeya.47.24)

तस्मिन् सर्गेऽभवत् प्रीतिर्निष्पन्ने ब्रह्मणस्तदा । ततोऽन्यं स तदा दध्यौ साधकं सर्गमुत्तमम् ॥ 47.24 ॥

tasmin sarge'bhavat prītirniṣpanne brahmaṇastadā tato'nyaṁ sa tadā dadhyau sādhakaṁ sargamuttamam

When that creation was accomplished, Brahma then felt delight in it; yet after that he pondered upon still another, higher creation that would fulfil his purpose.

Verse 25 (markandeya.47.25)

तथाभिध्यायतस्तस्य सत्याभिध्यायिनस्ततः । प्रादुर्बभौ तदाव्यक्तादर्वाक्स्त्रोतस्तु साधकः ॥ 47.25 ॥

tathābhidhyāyatastasya satyābhidhyāyinastataḥ prādurbabhau tadāvyaktādarvākstrotastu sādhakaḥ

As he, whose contemplation is ever true, meditated in this way, there then arose from the Unmanifest the fruitful 'arvak-srotas', the downward-flowing creation.

Verse 26 (markandeya.47.26)

यस्मादर्वाग् व्यवर्तन्त ततोर्ऽवाक्स्त्रोतसस्तु ते । ते च प्रकाशबहुलास्तमोद्रिक्ता रजोऽधिकाः ॥ 47.26 ॥

yasmādarvāg vyavartanta tator'vākstrotasastu te te ca prakāśabahulāstamodriktā rajo'dhikāḥ

Because they proceed downward, they are called 'arvak-srotas'; and though abundant in light, they are also excessive in tamas, with rajas predominant.

Verse 27 (markandeya.47.27)

तस्मात् ते दुः खबहुला भूयोभूयश्च कारिणः । प्रकाशा बहिरन्तश्च मनुष्याः साधकाश्च ते ॥ 47.27 ॥

tasmāt te duḥ khabahulā bhūyobhūyaśca kāriṇaḥ prakāśā bahirantaśca manuṣyāḥ sādhakāśca te

Because of this, they are full of suffering and act again and again; luminous without and within, these beings are humans, capable of true accomplishment.

Verse 28 (markandeya.47.28)

पञ्चमोऽनुग्रहः सर्गः स चतुर्धा व्यवस्थितः । विपर्ययेण सिद्ध्या च शान्त्या तुष्ट्या तथैव च ॥ 47.28 ॥

pañcamo'nugrahaḥ sargaḥ sa caturdhā vyavasthitaḥ viparyayeṇa siddhyā ca śāntyā tuṣṭyā tathaiva ca

The fifth is the creation called 'anugraha' (grace), established in four kinds: through error, through accomplishment, through tranquility, and likewise through contentment.

Verse 29 (markandeya.47.29)

निर्वृत्तं वर्तमानञ्च तेर्ऽथं जानन्ति वै पुनः । भूतादिकानां भूतानां षष्ठः सर्ग स उच्यते ॥ 47.29 ॥

nirvṛttaṁ vartamānañca ter'thaṁ jānanti vai punaḥ bhūtādikānāṁ bhūtānāṁ ṣaṣṭhaḥ sarga sa ucyate

They know both what has already occurred and what is happening now, for that very purpose; and the sixth creation is said to be that of the elements, arising from Bhutadi.

Verse 30 (markandeya.47.30)

ते परिग्राहिणः सर्वे संविभागरतास्तथा । चोदनाश्चाप्यशीलाश्च ज्ञेया भूतादिकाश्च ते ॥ 47.30 ॥

te parigrāhiṇaḥ sarve saṁvibhāgaratāstathā codanāścāpyaśīlāśca jñeyā bhūtādikāśca te

All these are known as acquisitive, devoted to sharing and distribution, as impulses, and of unsettled nature — these are to be known as the 'bhutadika' beings.

Verse 31 (markandeya.47.31)

प्रथमो महतः सर्गो विज्ञेयो ब्रह्मणस्तु सः । तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयस्तु भूतसर्गः स उच्यते ॥ 47.31 ॥

prathamo mahataḥ sargo vijñeyo brahmaṇastu saḥ tanmātrāṇāṁ dvitīyastu bhūtasargaḥ sa ucyate

The first is to be known as the creation of Mahat, the Great Principle, belonging to Brahman; the second is called the creation of the subtle elements, the 'bhuta-sarga'.

Verse 32 (markandeya.47.32)

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्गश्चैन्द्रियकः स्मृतः । इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः संभूतो बुद्धैपूर्वकः ॥ 47.32 ॥

vaikārikastṛtīyastu sargaścaindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ ityeṣa prākṛtaḥ sargaḥ saṁbhūto buddhaipūrvakaḥ

The third is called the 'vaikarika' creation, that of the sense-organs; thus is this the natural creation, which comes about preceded by intelligence.

Verse 33 (markandeya.47.33)

मुख्यः सर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः । तिर्यक्स्त्रोतस्तु यः प्रोक्तस्तिर्यग्योन्यः स पञ्चमः ॥ 47.33 ॥

mukhyaḥ sargaścaturthastu mukhyā vai sthāvarāḥ smṛtāḥ tiryakstrotastu yaḥ proktastiryagyonyaḥ sa pañcamaḥ

The fourth creation is the 'mukhya', the immobile beings called 'mukhya'; and that which was declared as the 'tiryak-srotas', born in animal wombs, is the fifth.

Verse 34 (markandeya.47.34)

तथोर्ध्वस्त्रोतसां षष्ठो देवसर्गस्तु स स्मृतः । ततोर्ऽवाक्स्त्रोतसां सर्गः सप्तमः स तु मानुषः ॥ 47.34 ॥

tathordhvastrotasāṁ ṣaṣṭho devasargastu sa smṛtaḥ tator'vākstrotasāṁ sargaḥ saptamaḥ sa tu mānuṣaḥ

Likewise the sixth is the creation of the gods, of the upward-flowing current; and the seventh, of the downward-flowing current, is the human creation.

Verse 35 (markandeya.47.35)

अष्टमोऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसश्च सः । पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः ॥ 47.35 ॥

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

The eighth is the creation called 'anugraha', both sattvic and tamasic; these five are called the 'modified' creations, while three are remembered as the 'natural' creations.

Verse 36 (markandeya.47.36)

प्राकृतो वैकृतश्चैव कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः । इत्येते वै समाख्याता नव सर्गाः प्रजापतेः ॥ 47.36 ॥

prākṛto vaikṛtaścaiva kaumāro navamaḥ smṛtaḥ ityete vai samākhyātā nava sargāḥ prajāpateḥ

The natural, the modified, and the ninth remembered as 'kaumara' — thus have these nine creations of Prajapati been fully declared.