The Primal Creation and the Cosmic Egg

Verse 1 (padma.3.2.1)

सूत उवाच । आदिसर्गमहं तावत्कथयामि द्विजोत्तमाः । ज्ञायते येन भगवान्परमात्मा सनातनः

sūta uvāca ādisargamahaṁ tāvatkathayāmi dvijottamāḥ jñāyate yena bhagavānparamātmā sanātanaḥ

Suta said: I shall now describe the primal creation, O best of the twice-born, by which the eternal Lord, the Supreme Self, is known.

Verse 2 (padma.3.2.2)

सृष्टेषु प्रलयादूर्ध्वं नासीत्किंचिद्द्विजोत्तमाः । ब्रह्मसंज्ञमभूदेकं ज्योतिर्वै सर्वकारकम्

sṛṣṭeṣu pralayādūrdhvaṁ nāsītkiṁciddvijottamāḥ brahmasaṁjñamabhūdekaṁ jyotirvai sarvakārakam

Before creation, beyond dissolution, O best of the twice-born, nothing at all existed; there was but one light called Brahman, the cause of all things.

Verse 3 (padma.3.2.3)

नित्यं निरंजनं शांतं निर्मलं नित्यनिर्मलम् । आनंदसागरंस्वच्छं यत्कांक्षंति मुमुक्षवः

nityaṁ niraṁjanaṁ śāṁtaṁ nirmalaṁ nityanirmalam ānaṁdasāgaraṁsvacchaṁ yatkāṁkṣaṁti mumukṣavaḥ

Eternal, stainless, tranquil, ever pure, a clear ocean of bliss — that which seekers of liberation long for.

Verse 4 (padma.3.2.4)

सर्वज्ञं ज्ञानरूपत्वादनंतमजमव्ययम् । अविनाशि सदास्वच्छमच्युतं व्यापकं महत्

sarvajñaṁ jñānarūpatvādanaṁtamajamavyayam avināśi sadāsvacchamacyutaṁ vyāpakaṁ mahat

All-knowing because its very nature is knowledge, boundless, unborn, changeless, imperishable, ever clear, unfailing, all-pervading, and great.

Verse 5 (padma.3.2.5)

सर्गकाले तु संप्राप्ते ज्ञात्वा तं ज्ञानरूपकम् । आत्मलीनं विकारं च तत्स्रष्टुमुपचक्रमे

sargakāle tu saṁprāpte jñātvā taṁ jñānarūpakam ātmalīnaṁ vikāraṁ ca tatsraṣṭumupacakrame

When the time for creation duly arrived, having known that one of the nature of knowledge, he set in motion Prakriti — dissolved within the Self — and its transformation, to bring about creation.

Verse 6 (padma.3.2.6)

तस्मात्प्रधानमुद्भूतं ततश्चापि महानभूत् । सात्विको राजसश्चैव तामसश्च त्रिधा महान्

tasmātpradhānamudbhūtaṁ tataścāpi mahānabhūt sātviko rājasaścaiva tāmasaśca tridhā mahān

From that arose Pradhana, primal Nature, and from it in turn arose Mahat, the Great Principle, which is threefold — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.

Verse 7 (padma.3.2.7)

प्रधानेनावृतो ह्येव त्वचा बीजमिवावृतम् । वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च भूतादिश्चैव तामसः

pradhānenāvṛto hyeva tvacā bījamivāvṛtam vaikārikastaijasaśca bhūtādiścaiva tāmasaḥ

As a seed is covered by its husk, so Mahat is enveloped by Pradhana. From it arose the threefold Ahamkara (ego-principle) — Vaikarika, Taijasa, and Tamasa (Bhutadi).

Verse 8 (padma.3.2.8)

त्रिविधोयमहंकारो महत्तत्वादजायत । यथा प्रधानेन महान्महता स तथा वृतः

trividhoyamahaṁkāro mahattatvādajāyata yathā pradhānena mahānmahatā sa tathā vṛtaḥ

This threefold Ahamkara was born from the principle of Mahat; and as Mahat had been enveloped by Pradhana, so this Ahamkara was enveloped by Mahat.

Verse 9 (padma.3.2.9)

भूतादिस्तु विकुर्वाणः शब्दतन्मात्रकं ततः । ससर्ज शब्दतन्मात्रादाकाशं शब्दलक्षणम्

bhūtādistu vikurvāṇaḥ śabdatanmātrakaṁ tataḥ sasarja śabdatanmātrādākāśaṁ śabdalakṣaṇam

The tamasic Ahamkara (Bhutadi), undergoing transformation, first produced the subtle essence of sound; from that sound-essence it created space (akasha), characterized by sound.

Verse 10 (padma.3.2.10)

शब्दमात्रं तथाकाशं भूतादिः सममावृणोत् । शब्दमात्रं तथाकाशं स्पर्शमात्रं ससर्ज ह

śabdamātraṁ tathākāśaṁ bhūtādiḥ samamāvṛṇot śabdamātraṁ tathākāśaṁ sparśamātraṁ sasarja ha

Bhutadi enveloped the sound-essence together with space equally; then the sound-essence and space together produced the subtle essence of touch.

Verse 11 (padma.3.2.11)

बलवानभवद्वायुस्तस्य स्पर्शो गुणो मतः । आकाशं शब्दमात्रं तु स्पर्शमात्रं समावृणोत्

balavānabhavadvāyustasya sparśo guṇo mataḥ ākāśaṁ śabdamātraṁ tu sparśamātraṁ samāvṛṇot

From that arose the powerful wind (vayu), whose quality is held to be touch; space together with the sound-essence enveloped the touch-essence.

Verse 12 (padma.3.2.12)

ततो वायुविकुर्वाणो रूपमात्रं ससर्ज ह । ज्योतिरुत्पद्यते वायोस्तद्रूपगुणमुच्यते

tato vāyuvikurvāṇo rūpamātraṁ sasarja ha jyotirutpadyate vāyostadrūpaguṇamucyate

Then wind, undergoing transformation, produced the subtle essence of form; from wind arises light (fire), whose quality is said to be form.

Verse 13 (padma.3.2.13)

स्पर्शमात्रस्तु वै वायू रूपमात्रं समावृणोत् । ज्योतिश्चापि विकुर्वाणं रसमात्रं ससर्ज ह

sparśamātrastu vai vāyū rūpamātraṁ samāvṛṇot jyotiścāpi vikurvāṇaṁ rasamātraṁ sasarja ha

Wind, characterized by the touch-essence, enveloped the form-essence; light too, undergoing transformation, produced the subtle essence of taste.

Verse 14 (padma.3.2.14)

संभवंति ततोंभांसि रसमात्राणि तानि तु । रसमात्राणिचांभांसि रूपमात्रं समावृणोत्

saṁbhavaṁti tatoṁbhāṁsi rasamātrāṇi tāni tu rasamātrāṇicāṁbhāṁsi rūpamātraṁ samāvṛṇot

From that came forth the waters, endowed with the essence of taste; and the waters, endowed with the taste-essence, enveloped the form-essence.

Verse 15 (padma.3.2.15)

विकुर्वाणानिचांभांसिगंधमात्रंससर्जिरे । तस्माज्जाता मही चेयं सर्वभूतगुणाधिका

vikurvāṇānicāṁbhāṁsigaṁdhamātraṁsasarjire tasmājjātā mahī ceyaṁ sarvabhūtaguṇādhikā

The waters, undergoing transformation, produced the subtle essence of smell; from that was born this earth, which surpasses all the other elements in possessing every quality.

Verse 16 (padma.3.2.16)

ससंघातो यतस्तस्मात्तस्य गंधो गुणो मतः । तस्मिंस्तस्मिंस्तु तन्मात्रात्तेन तन्मात्रता स्मृता

sasaṁghāto yatastasmāttasya gaṁdho guṇo mataḥ tasmiṁstasmiṁstu tanmātrāttena tanmātratā smṛtā

Since it is formed by the aggregation of that essence, its quality is held to be smell. In each case, the 'subtlety' of a thing is spoken of from the particular essence it derives from.

Verse 17 (padma.3.2.17)

तन्मात्राण्यविशेषाणि विशेषाः क्रमशो पराः । भूततन्मात्रसर्गोयमहंकारात्तु तामसात्

tanmātrāṇyaviśeṣāṇi viśeṣāḥ kramaśo parāḥ bhūtatanmātrasargoyamahaṁkārāttu tāmasāt

The subtle essences are generic and unparticularized; their particular forms follow in due order. This creation of the elements and their subtle essences, arising from the tamasic Ahamkara, has been told in brief, O best of ascetic sages.

Verse 18 (padma.3.2.18)

कीर्तितस्तु समासेन मुनिवर्यास्तपोधनाः । तैजसानींद्रियाण्याहुर्देवा वैकारिका दश

kīrtitastu samāsena munivaryāstapodhanāḥ taijasānīṁdriyāṇyāhurdevā vaikārikā daśa

The wise say that the ten organs are Vaikarika, born of the sattvic Ahamkara, and the presiding deities of the senses are Vaikarika likewise.

Verse 19 (padma.3.2.19)

एकादशं मनश्चात्र कीर्तितं तत्त्वचिंतकैः । ज्ञानेंद्रियाणि पंचात्र पंचकर्मेंद्रियाणि च

ekādaśaṁ manaścātra kīrtitaṁ tattvaciṁtakaiḥ jñāneṁdriyāṇi paṁcātra paṁcakarmeṁdriyāṇi ca

The knowers of the principles declare the mind to be the eleventh here. There are five organs of knowledge and five organs of action.

Verse 20 (padma.3.2.20)

तानि वक्ष्यामि तेषां च कर्माणि कुलपावनाः । श्रवणं त्वक्चक्षुर्जिह्वा नासिका चैव पंचमी

tāni vakṣyāmi teṣāṁ ca karmāṇi kulapāvanāḥ śravaṇaṁ tvakcakṣurjihvā nāsikā caiva paṁcamī

O purifiers of your lineage, I shall now tell those organs and their functions — hearing, touch, sight, taste, and fifth, smell —

Verse 21 (padma.3.2.21)

शब्दादिज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थं बुद्धियुक्तानि पंच वै । पायूपस्थं हस्तपादौ कीर्तिता वाक्चपंचमी

śabdādijñānasiddhyarthaṁ buddhiyuktāni paṁca vai pāyūpasthaṁ hastapādau kīrtitā vākcapaṁcamī

These five, endowed with intellect, serve to accomplish the knowledge of sound and the other sense-qualities. The anus, the genitals, the hands, the feet, and fifth, speech — these are declared the organs of action.

Verse 22 (padma.3.2.22)

विसर्गानंदनादानगत्युक्तिकर्मतत्स्मृतम् । आकाशवायुतेजांसि सलिलं पृथिवी तथा

visargānaṁdanādānagatyuktikarmatatsmṛtam ākāśavāyutejāṁsi salilaṁ pṛthivī tathā

Their functions are, in order, excretion, pleasure, movement, grasping, and speech. Likewise space, air, fire, water, and earth —

Verse 23 (padma.3.2.23)

शब्दादिभिर्गुणैर्विप्राः संयुक्ता उत्तरोत्तरैः । नानावीर्याः पृथग्भूतास्ततस्ते संहतिं विना

śabdādibhirguṇairviprāḥ saṁyuktā uttarottaraiḥ nānāvīryāḥ pṛthagbhūtāstataste saṁhatiṁ vinā

O brahmins, these elements are endowed, each successively, with the qualities of sound and so on; possessing distinct powers, they at first remained separate, without combination.

Verse 24 (padma.3.2.24)

नाशक्नुवन्प्रजाः स्रष्टुमसमागत्य कृत्स्नशः । समेत्यान्योन्यसंयोगं परस्परमथाश्रयात्

nāśaknuvanprajāḥ sraṣṭumasamāgatya kṛtsnaśaḥ sametyānyonyasaṁyogaṁ parasparamathāśrayāt

Unable, without complete union, to bring forth creatures, they then came together in mutual combination, relying upon one another,

Verse 25 (padma.3.2.25)

एकसंघास्सलक्ष्याश्च संप्राप्यैक्यमशेषतः । पुरुषाधिष्ठितत्वाच्च प्रधानानुग्रहेण च

ekasaṁghāssalakṣyāśca saṁprāpyaikyamaśeṣataḥ puruṣādhiṣṭhitatvācca pradhānānugraheṇa ca

and, presided over by Purusha and by the grace of Pradhana, became a single aggregate with a common purpose, attaining complete unity.

Verse 26 (padma.3.2.26)

महदादयो विशेषांता अंडमुत्पादयंति ते । तत्क्रमेण विवृद्धं तु जलबुद्बुदवत्सदा

mahadādayo viśeṣāṁtā aṁḍamutpādayaṁti te tatkrameṇa vivṛddhaṁ tu jalabudbudavatsadā

Mahat and the other principles, down to the particularized elements, together produced the [cosmic] Egg, which, in due course, ever grew like a bubble upon water.

Verse 27 (padma.3.2.27)

भूतेभ्योंडं महाप्राज्ञा वृद्धं तदुदकेशयम् । प्राकृतं ब्रह्मरूपस्य विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम्

bhūtebhyoṁḍaṁ mahāprājñā vṛddhaṁ tadudakeśayam prākṛtaṁ brahmarūpasya viṣṇoḥ sthānamanuttamam

O greatly wise ones, that Egg, formed from the elements and grown large, came to rest upon those very waters — the primal, unsurpassed abode of Vishnu in the form of Brahman.

Verse 28 (padma.3.2.28)

तत्राव्यक्तस्वरूपोसौ विष्णुर्विश्वेश्वरः प्रभुः । ब्रह्मरूपं समास्थाय स्वयमेव व्यवस्थितः

tatrāvyaktasvarūposau viṣṇurviśveśvaraḥ prabhuḥ brahmarūpaṁ samāsthāya svayameva vyavasthitaḥ

There the unmanifest Vishnu, the Lord and Master of the universe, having assumed the form of Brahma, established himself of his own accord.

Verse 29 (padma.3.2.29)

स्वेदजांडमभूत्तस्य जरायुश्च महीधराः । गर्भोदकं समुद्राश्च तस्याभून्महदात्मनः

svedajāṁḍamabhūttasya jarāyuśca mahīdharāḥ garbhodakaṁ samudrāśca tasyābhūnmahadātmanaḥ

From the sweat of that great Self, Vishnu, arose the Egg's caul, which became the mountains; its womb-water became the oceans.

Verse 30 (padma.3.2.30)

साद्रिद्वीपसमुद्राश्च सज्योतिर्लोकसंग्रहः । तस्मिन्नंडेभवत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्

sādridvīpasamudrāśca sajyotirlokasaṁgrahaḥ tasminnaṁḍebhavatsarvaṁ sadevāsuramānuṣam

With its mountains, continents, and oceans, and with its assemblage of luminous worlds, everything came to be within that Egg, together with gods, demons, and men.

Verse 31 (padma.3.2.31)

अनादिनिधनस्यैव विष्णोर्नाभेः समुत्थितम् । यत्पद्मं तद्धैममंडमभूच्छ्रीकेशवेच्छया

anādinidhanasyaiva viṣṇornābheḥ samutthitam yatpadmaṁ taddhaimamaṁḍamabhūcchrīkeśavecchayā

From the navel of that beginningless, endless Vishnu there arose a lotus; and by the will of glorious Keshava, that very golden Egg came to be.

Verse 32 (padma.3.2.32)

रजोगुणधरो देवः स्वयमेव हरिः परः । ब्रह्मरूपंसमास्थाय जगत्स्रष्टुं प्रवर्तते

rajoguṇadharo devaḥ svayameva hariḥ paraḥ brahmarūpaṁsamāsthāya jagatsraṣṭuṁ pravartate

That Lord bearing the quality of rajas, Hari the Supreme himself, having assumed the form of Brahma, proceeds to create the world.

Verse 33 (padma.3.2.33)

सृष्टं च पात्यनुयुगं यावत्कल्पविकल्पना । नारसिंहादिरूपेण रुद्ररुपेण संहरेत्

sṛṣṭaṁ ca pātyanuyugaṁ yāvatkalpavikalpanā nārasiṁhādirūpeṇa rudrarupeṇa saṁharet

And having created it, he protects it age after age, so long as the reckoning of the kalpa lasts; then, in the form of Narasimha and others, or in the form of Rudra, he brings about its dissolution.

Verse 34 (padma.3.2.34)

सब्रह्मरूपं विसृजन्महात्मा जगत्समस्तं परिपातुमिच्छन् । रामादिरूपं स तु गृह्य याति बभूव रुद्रो जगदेतदत्तुम्

sabrahmarūpaṁ visṛjanmahātmā jagatsamastaṁ paripātumicchan rāmādirūpaṁ sa tu gṛhya yāti babhūva rudro jagadetadattum

That great Self, relinquishing even the form of Brahma, desiring to fully protect the whole world, assumes the forms of Rama and others; and in the end, in order to devour this world, that same one becomes Rudra.