The Manner of Creation

Verse 1 (markandeya.48.1)

क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच समासात् कथिता सृष्टिः सम्यग् भगवता मम । देवादीनां भवं ब्रह्मन् विस्तरात्तु ब्रवीहि मे ॥ 48.1 ॥

krauṣṭukiruvāca samāsāt kathitā sṛṣṭiḥ samyag bhagavatā mama devādīnāṁ bhavaṁ brahman vistarāttu bravīhi me

Kraushtuki said: O blessed one, you have told me the creation well in brief; now, O brahmin, tell me in detail of the origin of the gods and the rest.

Verse 2 (markandeya.48.2)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच कुशलाकुशलैर्ब्रह्मन् ! भाविता पूर्वकमर्मभिः । ख्याता तथा ह्यनिर्मुक्ताः प्रलये ह्यु पसंहृताः ॥ 48.2 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca kuśalākuśalairbrahman ! bhāvitā pūrvakamarmabhiḥ khyātā tathā hyanirmuktāḥ pralaye hyu pasaṁhṛtāḥ

Markandeya said: O brahmin, those beings — shaped by their former deeds, both good and bad, thus renowned yet not finally freed — had been gathered back together at the dissolution.

Verse 3 (markandeya.48.3)

देवाद्याः स्थावरान्ताश्च प्रजा ब्रह्मंश्चतुर्विधाः । ब्रह्मणः कुर्वतः सृष्टिं जज्ञिरे मानसास्तदा ॥ 48.3 ॥

devādyāḥ sthāvarāntāśca prajā brahmaṁścaturvidhāḥ brahmaṇaḥ kurvataḥ sṛṣṭiṁ jajñire mānasāstadā

O brahmin, when Brahma set about creating, the fourfold order of beings — from the gods down to the immobile — were born as his mind-born sons.

Verse 4 (markandeya.48.4)

ततो देवासुरान् पितॄन् मानुषांश्च चतुष्टयम् । सिसृक्षुरम्भांस्येतानि स्वमात्मानमयूयुजत् ॥ 48.4 ॥

tato devāsurān pitṝn mānuṣāṁśca catuṣṭayam sisṛkṣurambhāṁsyetāni svamātmānamayūyujat

Then, desiring to create the fourfold order — gods, asuras, ancestors, and men — he applied his own self to this task.

Verse 5 (markandeya.48.5)

युक्तात्मनस्तमोमात्रा उद्रिक्ताभूत् प्रजापतेः । सिसृक्षोर्जघनात् पूर्वमसुरा जज्ञिरे ततः ॥ 48.5 ॥

yuktātmanastamomātrā udriktābhūt prajāpateḥ sisṛkṣorjaghanāt pūrvamasurā jajñire tataḥ

As Prajapati thus applied himself, an excess of the portion of tamas arose in him; and so, desiring to create, the asuras were first born from his loins.

Verse 6 (markandeya.48.6)

उत्ससर्ज ततस्तान्तु तमोमात्रात्मिकां तनुम् । सापविद्धा तनुस्तेन सद्यो रात्रिरजायत ॥ 48.6 ॥

utsasarja tatastāntu tamomātrātmikāṁ tanum sāpaviddhā tanustena sadyo rātrirajāyata

He then cast off that body made of the portion of tamas; and that discarded body at once became the Night.

Verse 7 (markandeya.48.7)

अन्यां तनुमुपादाय सिसृक्षुः प्रीतिमाप सः । सत्त्वोद्रेकास्ततो देवा मुखतस्तस्य जज्ञिरे ॥ 48.7 ॥

anyāṁ tanumupādāya sisṛkṣuḥ prītimāpa saḥ sattvodrekāstato devā mukhatastasya jajñire

Taking up another body, desiring to create, he felt delight; and then the gods, filled with an excess of sattva, were born from his mouth.

Verse 8 (markandeya.48.8)

उत्ससर्ज च भूतेशस्तनुं तामप्यसौ विभुः । सा चापविद्धा दिवसं सत्त्वप्रायमजायत् ॥ 48.8 ॥

utsasarja ca bhūteśastanuṁ tāmapyasau vibhuḥ sā cāpaviddhā divasaṁ sattvaprāyamajāyat

That mighty lord of beings cast off that body as well; and it, once discarded, became the Day, predominantly sattvic.

Verse 9 (markandeya.48.9)

सत्त्वमात्रात्मिकामेव ततोऽन्यां जगृहे तनुम् । पितृवन्मन्यमानस्य पितरस्तस्य जज्ञिरे ॥ 48.9 ॥

sattvamātrātmikāmeva tato'nyāṁ jagṛhe tanum pitṛvanmanyamānasya pitarastasya jajñire

He then took up yet another body, made purely of the portion of sattva; and thinking of himself as an ancestor, the Pitrs were born from him.

Verse 10 (markandeya.48.10)

सृष्ट्वा पितॄनुत्ससर्ज तनुं तामपि स प्रभुः । सा चोत्सृष्टाभवत् सन्ध्या दिवननक्तान्तरस्थिता ॥ 48.10 ॥

sṛṣṭvā pitṝnutsasarja tanuṁ tāmapi sa prabhuḥ sā cotsṛṣṭābhavat sandhyā divananaktāntarasthitā

Having created the Pitrs, that lord cast off that body too; and it, once discarded, became the Twilight, standing between day and night.

Verse 11 (markandeya.48.11)

रजोमात्रात्मिकामन्यां तनुं भेजेऽथ स प्रभुः । ततो मनुष्याः सम्भूता रजोमात्रासमुद्भवाः ॥ 48.11 ॥

rajomātrātmikāmanyāṁ tanuṁ bheje'tha sa prabhuḥ tato manuṣyāḥ sambhūtā rajomātrāsamudbhavāḥ

That lord then took on another body, made of the portion of rajas; from it were born humankind, arising from the portion of rajas.

Verse 12 (markandeya.48.12)

सृष्ट्वा मनुष्यान् स विभुरुत्ससर्ज तनुं ततः । ज्योत्स्ना समभवत् सा च नक्तान्तेऽहर्मुखे च या ॥ 48.12 ॥

sṛṣṭvā manuṣyān sa vibhurutsasarja tanuṁ tataḥ jyotsnā samabhavat sā ca naktānte'harmukhe ca yā

Having created humankind, that mighty lord cast off that body too; and it became the Moonlight, which stands at the end of night and the start of day.

Verse 13 (markandeya.48.13)

इत्येतास्तनवस्तस्य देवदेवस्य धीमतः । ख्याता रात्र्यहनी चैव सन्ध्या ज्योत्स्ना च वै द्विज ॥ 48.13 ॥

ityetāstanavastasya devadevasya dhīmataḥ khyātā rātryahanī caiva sandhyā jyotsnā ca vai dvija

These, O brahmin, are the bodies of that wise god of gods, known by the names Night and Day, Twilight and Moonlight.

Verse 14 (markandeya.48.14)

ज्योत्स्तना सन्ध्या तथैवाह---सत्त्वमात्रात्मकं त्रयम् । तमोमात्रात्मिका रात्रिः सा वै तस्मात् त्रियामिका ॥ 48.14 ॥

jyotstanā sandhyā tathaivāha---sattvamātrātmakaṁ trayam tamomātrātmikā rātriḥ sā vai tasmāt triyāmikā

Moonlight and Twilight, and Day too, are said to be threefold, made of the portion of sattva; Night alone is made of the portion of tamas, and for that reason it is called 'triyamika', of three watches.

Verse 15 (markandeya.48.15)

तस्माद् देवा दिवा रात्रावसुरास्तु बलान्विताः । ज्योत्स्नागमे च मनुजाः सन्ध्यायां पितरस्तथा ॥ 48.15 ॥

tasmād devā divā rātrāvasurāstu balānvitāḥ jyotsnāgame ca manujāḥ sandhyāyāṁ pitarastathā

Therefore the gods are strong by day, while the asuras are strong at night; men are strong when moonlight arrives, and the ancestors likewise at twilight.

Verse 16 (markandeya.48.16)

भवन्ति बलिनोऽधृष्या विपक्षाणां न संशयः । तद्विपर्ययमासाद्य प्रयान्ति च विपर्ययम् ॥ 48.16 ॥

bhavanti balino'dhṛṣyā vipakṣāṇāṁ na saṁśayaḥ tadviparyayamāsādya prayānti ca viparyayam

At their own proper times they become strong and unassailable by their opponents, without doubt; but when the reverse time comes, they too fall into a reversed, weakened state.

Verse 17 (markandeya.48.17)

ज्योत्स्नो रात्र्यहनी सन्ध्या चत्वार्येतानि वै प्रभोः । ब्रह्मणस्तु शरीराणि त्रिगुणोपश्रितानि तु ॥ 48.17 ॥

jyotsno rātryahanī sandhyā catvāryetāni vai prabhoḥ brahmaṇastu śarīrāṇi triguṇopaśritāni tu

Moonlight, Night, Day, and Twilight — these four are indeed the bodies of Lord Brahma, each resting upon the three gunas.

Verse 18 (markandeya.48.18)

चत्वार्येतान्यथोत्पाद्य तनुमन्यां प्रजापतिः । रजस्तमोमयीं रात्रौ जगृहे क्षुत्तृडन्वितः ॥ 48.18 ॥

catvāryetānyathotpādya tanumanyāṁ prajāpatiḥ rajastamomayīṁ rātrau jagṛhe kṣuttṛḍanvitaḥ

Having produced these four, Prajapati then, at night, overcome with hunger and thirst, took on yet another body, made of rajas and tamas.

Verse 19 (markandeya.48.19)

तदन्धकारे क्षुत्क्षामानसृजद् भगवानजः । विरूपान् श्मश्रुलानत्तुमारब्धास्ते च तां तनुम् ॥ 48.19 ॥

tadandhakāre kṣutkṣāmānasṛjad bhagavānajaḥ virūpān śmaśrulānattumārabdhāste ca tāṁ tanum

In that darkness, the unborn Bhagavan, wasted with hunger, created misshapen, bearded beings, who at once set about devouring that discarded body.

Verse 20 (markandeya.48.20)

रक्षाम इति तेभ्योऽन्ये य ऊचुस्ते तु राक्षसाः । खादाम इति ये चोचुस्ते यक्षा यक्षणात् द्विज ॥ 48.20 ॥

rakṣāma iti tebhyo'nye ya ūcuste tu rākṣasāḥ khādāma iti ye cocuste yakṣā yakṣaṇāt dvija

Those among them who said 'we shall protect (rakṣāma) it' became the Rakshasas; and, O brahmin, those who said 'we shall eat (khādāma) it' became the Yakshas, from the word 'yakṣaṇa', eating.

Verse 21 (markandeya.48.21)

तान् दृष्ट्वा ह्यप्रियेणास्य केशाः शीर्यन्त वेधसः । समारोहणहीनाश्च शिरसो ब्रह्मणस्तु ते ॥ 48.21 ॥

tān dṛṣṭvā hyapriyeṇāsya keśāḥ śīryanta vedhasaḥ samārohaṇahīnāśca śiraso brahmaṇastu te

Seeing them, and displeased, the Creator Brahma's hairs fell away — hairs that had grown from his head without root.

Verse 22 (markandeya.48.22)

सर्पणात्तेऽभवन् सर्पा हीनत्वादहयः स्मृताः । सर्पान् दृष्ट्वा ततः क्रोधात् क्रोधात्मानो विनिर्ममे ॥ 48.22 ॥

sarpaṇātte'bhavan sarpā hīnatvādahayaḥ smṛtāḥ sarpān dṛṣṭvā tataḥ krodhāt krodhātmāno vinirmame

— because of their creeping, they became serpents, and because they had been shed, they were also called 'ahi'. Seeing those serpents, he then, in anger, fashioned beings whose very nature was wrath.

Verse 23 (markandeya.48.23)

वर्णेन कपिलेनोग्रास्ते भूताः पिशिताशनाः । ध्यायतो गां ततस्तस्य गन्धर्वा जज्ञिरे सुताः ॥ 48.23 ॥

varṇena kapilenogrāste bhūtāḥ piśitāśanāḥ dhyāyato gāṁ tatastasya gandharvā jajñire sutāḥ

Tawny and fierce, these beings became the flesh-eating Bhutas; then, as he meditated upon the cow (or speech), the Gandharvas were born as his sons.

Verse 24 (markandeya.48.24)

जज्ञिरे पिबतो वाचं गन्धर्वास्तेन ते स्मृताः । अष्टास्वेतासु सृष्टासु देवयोनिषु स प्रभुः ॥ 48.24 ॥

jajñire pibato vācaṁ gandharvāstena te smṛtāḥ aṣṭāsvetāsu sṛṣṭāsu devayoniṣu sa prabhuḥ

They were born as he 'drank in' speech, and so they are remembered as Gandharvas. When these eight classes of divine beings had been created, that Lord —

Verse 25 (markandeya.48.25)

ततः स्वदेहतोऽन्यानि वयांसि पशवोऽसृजत् । मुखतोऽजाः ससर्जाथ वक्षसश्चावयोऽसृजत् ॥ 48.25 ॥

tataḥ svadehato'nyāni vayāṁsi paśavo'sṛjat mukhato'jāḥ sasarjātha vakṣasaścāvayo'sṛjat

— then created, from his own body, the remaining birds and beasts: from his mouth he created goats, and from his chest he created sheep.

Verse 26 (markandeya.48.26)

गावश्चैवोदराद् ब्रह्मा पार्श्वाभ्याञ्च विनिर्ममे । पद्भ्याञ्चाश्वान् स मातङ्गान् रासबान् शशकान् मृगान् ॥ 48.26 ॥

gāvaścaivodarād brahmā pārśvābhyāñca vinirmame padbhyāñcāśvān sa mātaṅgān rāsabān śaśakān mṛgān

Brahma fashioned cows from his belly and his two flanks, and from his feet he created horses, elephants, donkeys, hares, and deer.

Verse 27 (markandeya.48.27)

उष्ट्रानश्वतरांश्चैव नानारूपाश्च जातयः । ओषध्यः फलमूलिन्यो रोमभ्यस्तस्य जज्ञिरे ॥ 48.27 ॥

uṣṭrānaśvatarāṁścaiva nānārūpāśca jātayaḥ oṣadhyaḥ phalamūlinyo romabhyastasya jajñire

Camels and mules too, and creatures of many other forms; and from his body-hairs sprang plants bearing fruit and root.

Verse 28 (markandeya.48.28)

एवं पश्वोषधीः सृष्ट्वा ह्ययजच्चाध्वरे विभुः । तस्मादादौ तु कल्पस्य त्रेतायुगमुखे तदा ॥ 48.28 ॥

evaṁ paśvoṣadhīḥ sṛṣṭvā hyayajaccādhvare vibhuḥ tasmādādau tu kalpasya tretāyugamukhe tadā

Having thus created the animals and plants, that mighty lord performed sacrifice with them; and from that time, at the very start of the kalpa, at the beginning of the Treta age —

Verse 29 (markandeya.48.29)

गौरजः पुरुषो मेषो अश्वाश्वतरगर्दभाः । एतान् ग्राम्यान् पशूनाहुरारण्यांश्च निबोध मे ॥ 48.29 ॥

gaurajaḥ puruṣo meṣo aśvāśvataragardabhāḥ etān grāmyān paśūnāhurāraṇyāṁśca nibodha me

— the cow, goat, man, sheep, horse, mule, and donkey are said to be the domestic animals; now learn from me the wild ones.

Verse 30 (markandeya.48.30)

श्वापदं द्विखुरं हस्ती वानराः पक्षिपञ्चमाः । औदकाः पशवः षष्ठाः सप्तमास्तु सरीसृपाः ॥ 48.30 ॥

śvāpadaṁ dvikhuraṁ hastī vānarāḥ pakṣipañcamāḥ audakāḥ paśavaḥ ṣaṣṭhāḥ saptamāstu sarīsṛpāḥ

Beasts of prey, cloven-hoofed animals, elephants, monkeys, and birds as the fifth class; the sixth are water-dwelling creatures, and the seventh are reptiles.

Verse 31 (markandeya.48.31)

गायत्रीञ्च ऋचञ्चैव त्रिवृत् सोमं रथन्तरम् । अग्निष्टोमञ्च यज्ञानां निर्ममे प्रथमान्मुखात् ॥ 48.31 ॥

gāyatrīñca ṛcañcaiva trivṛt somaṁ rathantaram agniṣṭomañca yajñānāṁ nirmame prathamānmukhāt

From his eastern face he brought forth, for the sacrifices, the Gayatri metre, the Rig Veda, the Trivrit-stoma, the Rathantara Saman, and the Agnishtoma.

Verse 32 (markandeya.48.32)

यजूंषि त्रैष्टुभं धन्दः स्तोमं पञ्चदशन्तथा । बृहत् साम तथोकथञ्च दक्षिणादसृजन्मुखात् ॥ 48.32 ॥

yajūṁṣi traiṣṭubhaṁ dhandaḥ stomaṁ pañcadaśantathā bṛhat sāma tathokathañca dakṣiṇādasṛjanmukhāt

From his southern face he created the Yajur Veda, the Trishtubh metre, the fifteenfold Stoma, the Brihat Saman, and the Ukthya rite.

Verse 33 (markandeya.48.33)

सामानि जगतीच्छन्दः स्तोमं पञ्चदशन्तथा । वैरूपमतिरात्रञ्च निर्ममे पश्चिमान्मुखात् ॥ 48.33 ॥

sāmāni jagatīcchandaḥ stomaṁ pañcadaśantathā vairūpamatirātrañca nirmame paścimānmukhāt

From his western face he brought forth the Samans, the Jagati metre, the fifteenfold Stoma, the Vairupa Saman, and the Atiratra rite.

Verse 34 (markandeya.48.34)

एकविशमथर्वाणमाप्तोर्यामाणमेव च । अनुष्टुभं सवैराजमुत्तरादसृजन्मुखात् ॥ 48.34 ॥

ekaviśamatharvāṇamāptoryāmāṇameva ca anuṣṭubhaṁ savairājamuttarādasṛjanmukhāt

From his northern face he created the twenty-one-fold Stoma, the Atharva Veda, the Aptoryama rite, the Anushtubh metre, and the Vairaja Saman.

Verse 35 (markandeya.48.35)

विद्युतोऽशनिमेघाश्च रोहितेन्द्रधनूंषि च । वयांसि च ससर्जादौ कल्पस्य भगवान् विभुः ॥ 48.35 ॥

vidyuto'śanimeghāśca rohitendradhanūṁṣi ca vayāṁsi ca sasarjādau kalpasya bhagavān vibhuḥ

At the beginning of the kalpa, the mighty Bhagavan also created lightning, the thunderbolt, the clouds, the rainbow, and the birds.

Verse 36 (markandeya.48.36)

उच्चावचानि भूतानि गात्रेभ्यस्तलस्य जज्ञिरे । सृष्ट्वा चतुष्टयं पूर्वं देवासुरपितॄन् प्रजाः ॥ 48.36 ॥

uccāvacāni bhūtāni gātrebhyastalasya jajñire sṛṣṭvā catuṣṭayaṁ pūrvaṁ devāsurapitṝn prajāḥ

Beings both high and low were born from the limbs of that wise Lord; having first created the fourfold order — gods, asuras, ancestors, and mankind —

Verse 37 (markandeya.48.37)

ततोऽसृजत् स भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च । यक्षान् पिशाचान् गन्धर्वांस्तथैवाप्सरसाङ्गणान् ॥ 48.37 ॥

tato'sṛjat sa bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca yakṣān piśācān gandharvāṁstathaivāpsarasāṅgaṇān

— he then created beings both moving and unmoving: Yakshas, Pishachas, Gandharvas, and the Apsaras together with their attendant hosts.

Verse 38 (markandeya.48.38)

नरकिन्नररक्षांसि वयः पशुमृगोरगान् । अव्ययञ्च व्ययञ्चैव यदिदं स्थाणुजङ्गमम् ॥ 48.38 ॥

narakinnararakṣāṁsi vayaḥ paśumṛgoragān avyayañca vyayañcaiva yadidaṁ sthāṇujaṅgamam

Men, Kinnaras, Rakshasas, birds, cattle, deer, and serpents — all this, both the imperishable and the perishable, whatever is fixed or moving.

Verse 39 (markandeya.48.39)

तेषां ये यानि कर्माणि प्राक् सृष्टेः प्रतिपेदिरे । तान्येव प्रतिपद्यन्ते सृज्यमानाः पुनः पुनः ॥ 48.39 ॥

teṣāṁ ye yāni karmāṇi prāk sṛṣṭeḥ pratipedire tānyeva pratipadyante sṛjyamānāḥ punaḥ punaḥ

Whatever deeds these beings had taken up in the previous creation, those very deeds they take up again, being created anew, again and again.

Verse 40 (markandeya.48.40)

हिंस्त्राहिंस्त्रे मृदुक्रूरे धर्माधर्मावृतानृते । तद्भाविताः प्रपद्यन्ते तस्मात्तत्तस्य रोचते ॥ 48.40 ॥

hiṁstrāhiṁstre mṛdukrūre dharmādharmāvṛtānṛte tadbhāvitāḥ prapadyante tasmāttattasya rocate

Violent or non-violent, gentle or cruel, righteous or unrighteous, truthful or false — shaped by those prior tendencies, they take up the same accordingly, and so it appeals to them.

Verse 41 (markandeya.48.41)

इन्द्रियार्थेषु भूतेषु शरीरेषु च स प्रभुः । नानात्वं विनियोगञ्च धातैव व्यदधात् स्वयम् ॥ 48.41 ॥

indriyārtheṣu bhūteṣu śarīreṣu ca sa prabhuḥ nānātvaṁ viniyogañca dhātaiva vyadadhāt svayam

Among the sense-objects, among beings, and among bodies, it is that Ordainer alone who himself established diversity and each thing's proper function.

Verse 42 (markandeya.48.42)

नाम रूपञ्च भूतानां कृत्यानाञ्च प्रपञ्चनम् । वेदशब्देभ्य एवादौ देवादीनाञ्चकार सः ॥ 48.42 ॥

nāma rūpañca bhūtānāṁ kṛtyānāñca prapañcanam vedaśabdebhya evādau devādīnāñcakāra saḥ

He fashioned, at the very beginning, the names and forms of beings and the unfolding of their duties, for the gods and others, out of the very words of the Veda.

Verse 43 (markandeya.48.43)

ऋषीणां नामधेयानि याश्च देवेषु सृष्टयः । शर्वर्यन्ते प्रसूतानामन्येषाञ्च ददाति सः ॥ 48.43 ॥

ṛṣīṇāṁ nāmadheyāni yāśca deveṣu sṛṣṭayaḥ śarvaryante prasūtānāmanyeṣāñca dadāti saḥ

The names of the sages, and the particular creations occurring among the gods and others, born at the end of that night — these too he assigns.

Verse 44 (markandeya.48.44)

यथर्तावृतुलिङ्गानि नानारूपाणि पर्यये । दृश्यन्ते तानि तान्येव तथा भावा युगादिषु ॥ 48.44 ॥

yathartāvṛtuliṅgāni nānārūpāṇi paryaye dṛśyante tāni tānyeva tathā bhāvā yugādiṣu

Just as, in the changing seasons, the very signs of each season reappear again and again in various forms, so too do the same states of being recur at the start of each age.

Verse 45 (markandeya.48.45)

एवंविधाः सृष्टयस्तु ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । शर्वर्यन्ते प्रबुद्धस्य कल्पे कल्पे भवन्ति वै ॥ 48.45 ॥

evaṁvidhāḥ sṛṣṭayastu brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ śarvaryante prabuddhasya kalpe kalpe bhavanti vai

Such indeed are the creations of Brahma, whose birth is from the Unmanifest, that come to be, kalpa after kalpa, whenever he awakens at the end of the night.