श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् तृतीय: स्कन्ध: अथ दशम: अध्याय: वदुर उवाच - Vidura said - अन्तर्हिते भगवति ब्रह्मा लोकपितामह: ।
प्रजा: ससर्ज कतिधा दैहिकीर्मानसीर्विभु: ॥१॥
अन्तर्हिते भगवति disappeared when The Lord
ब्रह्मा लोक-पितामह: Brahmaa, the world's grandfather प्रजा: ससर्ज कतिधा living beings created, of how many varieties दैहिकी:-र्मानसी:-विभु: from his body or mind, The god Vidura asked of Maitreya, that after The Lord had disappeared, of how many varieties of living beings did the grandfather of the worlds, the god Brahmaa, create, from his body and from his mind?


ये च मे भगवन् पृष्टास्त्वय्यर्था बहुवित्तम ।
तान् वदस्वानुपूर्व्येण छिन्धि न: सर्वसंशयान् ॥२॥
ये च मे भगवन् those and mine, O lord!
पृष्टा:-त्वयि-अर्था: (were) asked to you questions बहुवित्तम O foremost of the wise! तान् वदस्व आनुपूर्व्येण them tell, one after another छिन्धि न: सर्व-संशयान् dispel our all doubts O lord! The foremost of the wise! Do answer one after the other, all my questions that I have asked you, and dispell all our doubts.


सूत उवाच - Soota said - एवं संचोदितस्तेन क्षत्त्रा कौषारवो मुनि: ।
प्रीत: प्रत्याह तान् प्रश्नान् हृदिस्थानथ भार्गव ॥३॥
एवम् संचोदित:-तेन क्षत्त्रा thus requested by him, Vidura
कौषारव: मुनि: प्रीत: प्रत्याह Kashaaru's son, the sage (Maitreya), happily answered तान् प्रश्नान् हृदिस्थान्- those questions, borne in mind अथ भार्गव then O Shaunaka! O Shaunaka! When Vidura thus requested the son of Kashaaru, Maitreya, he, with pleasure answered those questions which he had borne in his mind.


मैत्रेय उवाच - Maitreya said - विरिञ्चोऽपि तथा चक्रे दिव्यं वर्षशतं तप: ।
आत्मन्यात्मानमावेश्य यदाह भगवानज: ॥४॥
विरिञ्च:-अपि तथा चक्रे Brahmaa also and performed
दिव्यम् वर्ष-शतम् तप: (for) celestial years hundred, austerities आत्मनि-आत्मानम्-आवेश्य in The Self (Naaraayana) himself (his own mind), fixing, यत्-आह भगवान्-अज: which had said, The Lord Unborn Brahmaa also performed austerities for a hundred celestial years, as he was directed by The Birthless Lord, by fixing his mind firmly in The Self, Lord Naaraayana.


तद्विलोक्याब्जसम्भूतो वायुना यदधिष्ठित: ।
पद्ममम्भश्च तत्कालकृतवीर्येण कम्पितम् ॥५॥
तत्-विलोक्य-अब्ज-सम्भूत: that saw, The Lotus Born
वायुना यत्-अधिष्ठित: by the wind on which (he) was sitting पद्मम्-अम्भ:-च the lotus and the water तत्-काल-कृत-वीर्येण by that time (of deluge) enabled force कम्पितम् (being) tossed The Lotus Born Brahmaa, saw that the lotus on which he was sitting, and the water all around were being tossed by the force of the wind created by that time of deluge.


तपसा ह्येधमानेन विद्यया चात्मसंस्थया ।
विवृद्धविज्ञानबलो न्यपाद् वायुं सहाम्भसा ॥६॥
तपसा हि-एधमानेन by austerities, indeed increasing
विद्यया च-आत्म- knowledge and (by) himself संस्थया विवृद्ध- (being) steady (in worship) enhanced विज्ञान-बल: न्यपाद् creative power, drank वायुम् सह-अम्भसा the wind, with the water Brahmaa, whose knowledge increased indeed by the austerities, and whose creative power was enhanced by himself being steady in the worship of The Lord, drank the wind along with the water.


तद्विलोक्य वियद्व्यापि पुष्करं यदधिष्ठितम् ।
अनेन लोकान् प्राग्लीनान् कल्पितास्मीत्यचिन्तयत् ॥७॥
तत्-विलोक्य वियत्-व्यापि that seeing, in the sky spread out
पुष्करम् यत्-अधिष्ठितम् lotus, on which (he, Brahmaa) was sitting अनेन लोकान् प्राक्-लीनान् by this, the worlds, before disappeared कल्पिता-अस्मि-इति-अचिन्तयत् I will recreate, thus thought Brahmaa saw that the lotus on which he was sitting had spread out in the whole sky. Looking at that, he thought that, I will recreate the worlds which had disappeared at the end of the former Kalpa, from this (lotus) only.


पद्मकोशं तदाऽऽविश्य भगवत्कर्मचोदित: ।
एकं व्यभाङ्क्षीदुरुधा त्रिधा भाव्यं द्विसप्तधा ॥८॥
पद्म-कोशम् तदा-आविश्य in the lotus centre then entering
भगवत्-कर्म-चोदित: in the Lord's work, inspired एकम् व्यभाङ्क्षीत्- that one (lotus) split उरुधा त्रिधा (which) in many parts (could) be broken, into three parts भाव्यम् द्वि-सप्तधा (and) could be broken into twice seven (14) parts also Inspired by the Lord into action, Brahmaa entered into the centre of the lotus and split it into three parts, which could be split into forteen or even many more parts.


एतावञ्जीवलोकस्य संस्थाभेद: समाहृत: ।
धर्मस्य ह्यनिमित्तस्य विपाक: परमेष्ठ्यसौ ॥९॥
एतावान्-जीव-लोकस्य these three are, of living beings
संस्था-भेद: समाहृत: realms divisions, declared (by scriptures) धर्मस्य हि-अनिमित्तस्य of righteousness, indeed purposeless (practitioner) विपाक: परमेष्ठी-असौ realms divisions, (Satya loka) Brahmaloka is this The Scriptures have declared that these three realms are the divisions where the living beings reside, whereas, the practitioner, who, without selfish motives, practices rightiousness, gets to reside in this Satyloka or Brahma-loka.


विदुर उवाच - Vidura said - यदात्थ बहुरूपस्य हरेरद्भुतकर्मण:।
कालाख्यां लक्षणं ब्रह्मन् यथा वर्णय न: प्रभो ॥१०॥
यत्-आत्थ that (which you) had said (about)
बहुरूपस्य हरे:- of The Many Form's, of Shree Hari, अद्भुतकर्मण: of marvellous deeds काल-आख्याम् लक्षणम् Time named potency, ब्रह्मन् O Learned One! यथा वर्णय न: प्रभो that describe, to us O lord! O Learned One! O Lord! The Lord, has many forms as the universe, and has marvellous deeds. You had told us about His potency named as Time. Do describe that to us.


मैत्रेय उवाच - Maitreya said - गुणव्यतिकराकारो निर्विशेषोऽप्रतिष्ठित: ।
पुरुषस्तदुपादानमात्मानं लीलयासृजत् ॥११॥
गुण-व्यतिकर-आकार: by the gunas of the unchanged, form
निर्विशेष:-अप्रतिष्ठित: the formless (and) endless पुरुष:-तत्- The (Supreme) Person That उपादानम्-आत्मानम् (time) as support (taking), Himself लीलया-असृजत् sportingly created (as the universe) That Supreme Person, taking the support of that Time, which is unchanged by the gunas and which is timeless, sportingly created this universe out of Himself.


विश्वं वै ब्रह्मतन्मात्रं संस्थितं विष्णुमायया ।
ईश्वरेण परिच्छिन्नं कालेनाव्यक्तमूर्तिना ॥१२॥
विश्वम् वै the world indeed
ब्रह्म-तन्मात्रम् संस्थितम् in Brahmaa in subtle form was present विष्णु-मायया ईश्वरेण by the Vishnu's Maayaa, by The Lord परिच्छिन्नम् कालेन- in a different form revealed by Time, अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना by the undisclosed form By Vishnu's Maayaa, this world was present in a subtle form in Brahmaa, at the time of delusion. By the help of Time, with its undisclosed form, The Lord revealed this world in a different form.


यथेदानीं तथाग्रे च पश्वादप्येतदीदृशम् ।
सर्गो नवविधस्तस्य प्राकृतो वैकृतस्तु य: ॥१३॥
यथा-इदानीम् as now
तथा-अग्रे च same before and पश्वात्-अपि- afterwards also एतत्-ईदृशम् this (will be) like this सर्ग: नव-विध:- the creation, of nine types, तस्य प्राकृत: of this, pertaining to the Lord वैकृत:-तु य: (and) pertaining to Brahmaa indeed which is Just now,this creation is the same as it was before and it will be the same afterwards. It is of nine folds, and the Praakrit is pertaining to The Lord and the Vikrita is pertaining to Brahmaa.


कालद्रव्यगुणैरस्य त्रिविध: प्रतिसंक्रम: ।
आद्यस्तु महत: सर्गो गुणवैषम्यमात्मन: ॥१४॥
काल-द्रव्य-गुणै:- by Time, elements, (and) gunas,
अस्य त्रिविध: प्रतिसंक्रम: is its three types of reabsorption आद्य:-तु in the beginning of course महत: सर्ग: of Mahat, the creation गुण-वैषम्यम्- the Guna's misbalance आत्मन: by Himself (The Lord) The reabsorption of the world is also of three kinds, which is by Time, elements and gunas. The very first ofcourse is the creation of Mahat, which occurs by the disbalance of the gunas by the will of The Lord Himself.


द्वितीयस्त्वहमो यत्र द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियोदय: ।
भूतसर्गस्तृतीयस्तु तन्मात्रो द्रव्यशक्तिमान् ॥१५॥
द्वितीय:-तु-अहम: second of course is ego
यत्र द्रव्य-ज्ञान- where the elements, perception, क्रिया-उदय: and action originate भूत-सर्ग:-तृतीय:-तु subtle elements' creation, third indeed तन्मात्र: द्रव्य-शक्तिमान् Tanmaatras are the elements evolving power The second evolution of creation is of course the ego from where the elements, perception and actions originate. The third is the creation of the subtle elements which evolve the tanmatras of the gross elements.


चतुर्थ ऐन्द्रिय: सर्गो यस्तु ज्ञानक्रियात्मक: ।
वैकारिको देवसर्ग: पञ्चमो यन्मयं मन: ॥१६॥
चतुर्थ: ऐन्द्रिय: सर्ग: य:-तु fourth is of the senses creation, which is
ज्ञान-क्रिया-आत्मक: of perception and of action natured वैकारिक: देव-सर्ग: of Saatvic ego is the Deva creations पञ्चम: यन्मयम् मन: is fifth, and that also includes the mind The fourth is the creation of the senses which is of the nature of perception and action. The fifth is the creation of the Saatvika ego, which is the creation of the gods or Devas, and includes the creation of the mind.


षष्ठस्तु तमस: सर्गो यस्त्वबुद्धिकृत: प्रभो ।
षडिमे प्राकृता: सर्गा वैकृतानपि मे शृणु ॥१७॥
षष्ठ:-तु तमस: सर्ग: sixth indeed (is) Tamasa's evolution
य:-तु-अबुद्धि-कृत: which of course is of ignorance born प्रभो षट्-इमे: O Vidura! six these प्राकृता: सर्गा: are the Praakrita (proceeding from God) creations वैकृतान्-अपि the Vaikrita (creations) (proceeded from Brahmaa) also मे शृणु from me hear This is the sixth creation, the evolution of Tamas, and born of ignorance. O Vidura! These six are the Praakrita creations, prodeeding from God, the Cause of the causes. Now hear from me about the Vaikrita creation, which proceeded from Brahmaa, who originated from the lotus.


रजोभाजो भगवतो लीलेयं हरिमेधस: ।
सप्तमो मुख्यसर्गस्तु षड्विधस्तस्थुषां च य: ॥१८॥
रजोभाज: भगवत: Rajas assuming, The Lord's
लीला-इयम् हरि-मेधस: a sport this is of The Ridder of sins सप्तम: मुख्य-सर्ग:-तु the seventh, main creation indeed षड्-विध:-तस्थुषाम् च य: six types of immobile creatures (trees etc) and which is This seventh creation also indeed is the sport of The Lord, Who rids one of all sins, and Who assumes the Rajas guna. It indeed is the main creation and consists of the six types of immobile creations, like that of trees and plants etc.


वनस्पत्योषधिलतात्वक्सारा वीरुधो द्रुमा: ।
उत्स्रोतसस्तम: प्राया अन्त:स्पर्शा विशेषिण: ॥१९॥
वनस्पति-ओषधि-लता- trees, (like banyan etc.,) plants like cereals, creepers,
त्वक्सारा:-वीरुध: द्रुमा: hard bark plants, bamboos etc.,creepers growing on ground, उत्-स्रोतस:- draw nourishment from their roots तम: प्राया:- unknowledgeable almost अन्त:स्पर्शा: विशेषिण: only a sense of touch is their quality The six type of vegetation are, trees like the banayan, plants of cereals, creepers, plants with hard bark, like the bamboo, creepers which grow on the ground, like gaurds and melons, and tree of fruits like mangoe etc. They draw their nourishment from their roots, they are unintelligable, and their only quality is the sense of touch.


तिरश्चामष्टम: सर्ग: सोऽष्टाविंशद्विधो मत: ।
अविदो भूरितमसो घ्राणज्ञा हृद्यवेदिन: ॥२०॥
तिरश्चाम्-अष्टम: सर्ग: of the animals, is the eighth creation
स:-अष्टाविंशत्-विध: मत: that of twenty eight types is said to be अविद: भूरि-तमस: (which) does not know of Time, is quite unintelligent घ्राण-ज्ञा: हृदि-अवेदिन: have olfactory sense, and are irrational The eighth creation is that of the animals who draw their nourishment horizontally. They are said to be of twenty eight varieties. They do not have any knowledge of time, are irrational and unintelligent with only their olfactory sense active.


गौरजो महिष: कृष्ण: सूकरो गवयो रुरु ।
द्विशफा पशवश्चेमे अविरुष्ट्रश्च सत्तम ॥२१॥
गौ:-अज: महिष: कृष्ण: cow, goat, buffalo, black antelope,
सूकर: गवय: रुरु: swine, Neel Gaaya, Ruru deer, द्विशफा पशव:-च-इमे the split hoofed, animals and these अवि:-उष्ट्र:-च सत्तम sheep, camel and, O Nobel One! O Noble Vidura! And these animals are the cow, the goat, the buffalo, the black antelope, the swine, the Neela Gaaya, the Ruru deer, sheep and camel, which are the split hoofed ones.


खरोऽश्वोऽश्वतरो गौर: शरभश्चमरी तथा ।
एते चैकशफा: छत्त: शृणु पञ्चनखान् पशून् ॥२२॥
खर:-अश्व:-अश्वतर: the donkey, the horse, the mule,
गौर: शरभ:-चमरी तथा the white antelope, Sharabha, the yak, and एते च-एकशफा: these and are one hoofed छत्त: शृणु O Vidura! Listen पञ्च-नखान् पशून् (about) the five clawed animals And those animals which are one hoofed are the donkey, the horse, the mule, the white antilope, the Sharabha, the yak. O Vidura! Now hear about the five clawed animals.


श्वा सृगालो वृको व्याघ्रो मार्जार: शशशल्लकौ ।
सिंह: कपिर्गज: कूर्मो गोधा च मकरादय: ॥२३॥
श्वा सृगाल: वृक: व्याघ्र: the dog, the jackal, the wolf, the tiger,
मार्जार: शश-शल्लकौ the cat, the hare, the hedgehog, सिंह: कपि:-गज: कूर्म: the lion, the monkey, the elephant, the tortoise, गोधा च मकर-आदय: the iguana, and crocodile etc. They are, the dog, the jackal, the wolf, the tiger, the cat, the hare, the hedgehog, the lion, the monkey, the elephant, the tortoise, the iguana and the crocodile, etc.


कङ्कगृध्रवटश्येनभासभल्लकबर्हिण: ।
हंससारसचक्राह्वकाकोलूकादय: खगा ॥२४॥
कङ्क-गृध्र-वट-श्येन- the heron, the vulture, the quail, the hawk,
भास-भल्लक-बर्हिण: the Bhaasa, the Bhalluka, the peacock हंस-सारस-चक्राह्व-काक- the swan, the crane, the Chakrawaaka, the crow उलूक-आदय: खगा the owl, and others move in the air Those that move in the air are the heron, the vulture, the quail, the hawk, the Bhaasa, the Bhalluka, the peacock, the swan, the crane, the Chakrawaaka, the crow and others.


अर्वाक्स्रोतस्तु नवम: क्षत्तरेकविधो नृणाम् ।
रजोऽधिका: कर्मपरा दु:खे च सुखमानिन: ॥२५॥
अर्वाक्-स्रोत:-तु नवम: from above downwards drawing, indeed is the ninth
क्षत्त:-एक-विध: नृणाम् O Vidura! of one kind only of humans रज:-अधिका: कर्म-परा: (with) Rajoguna predominant, by action led दु:खे च सुख-मानिन: in sorrow and happiness believing O Vidura! The ninth creation is that of human beings which is only of one kind. They draw their nourishment from above to down-wards. Rajoguna is abundent in them and they are led by their actions. They believe in having happiness in things which are rooted in sorrow.


वैकृतास्त्रय एवैते देवसर्गश्च सत्तम ।
वैकारिकस्तु य: प्रोक्त: कौमारस्तूभयात्मक: ॥२६॥
वैकृता:-त्रय एव-एते Vaikrita (originating from Brahmaa), three only these
देव-सर्ग:-च सत्तम the gods' origin and O Noble One! वैकारिक:-तु य: प्रोक्त: Vaikaarika indeed, which are explained earlier कौमार:-तु-उभय-आत्मक: Kaumaara's indeed (are) both inclusive (Brahmaa and God) O Noble One! The Vaikarika creation has already been explained. These three, and the origin of the gods is called the Vaikarika, originating from Brahmaa. The origin of the Sanat Kumaras are said to be inclusive of both, that is, they originated from both, God and Brahmaa.


देवसर्गश्चाष्टविधो विबुधा: पितरोऽसुरा: ।
गन्धर्वाप्सरस: सिद्धा यक्षरक्षांसि चारणा: ॥२७॥
देव-सर्ग:-च-अष्ट-विध: the gods' creation and (is) of eight types
विबुधा: पितर:-असुरा: the gods, the manes, the demons, गन्धर्व-अप्सरस: सिद्धा: the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Siddhas, यक्ष-रक्षांसि चारणा: the Yakshas, the Raakshasas, and the Chaaranas The creation of the class of gods is of eight types, namely, the gods, the manes, the demons, the Gandharvas, the Apsaraas, the Siddhas, the Yakshas, the Raaskshasa and the Chaaranas.


भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च विद्याध्रा: किन्नरादय: ।
दशैते विदुराख्याता: सर्गास्ते विश्वसृक्कृता: ॥२८॥
भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचा:-च the Bhootas, the Pretas, the Pishaachaas, and
विद्याध्रा: किन्नर-आदय: the Vidyaadharas, the Kinnaras, and others दश-एते विदुर- ten these, O Vidura! आख्याता: सर्गा:-ते have been told to you, creations विश्वसृक्-कृता: of the world's creator, (Brahmaa) O Vidura! The Bhootas, the Pretas, the Pishaachaas, the Vidyaadharas, the Kinnaras and others, these are the ten creations, I have told you about, are the creation of the creater of the world, Brahmaa.


अत: परं प्रवक्ष्यामि वंशान्मन्वन्तराणि च ।
एवं रज:प्लुत: स्रष्टा कल्पादिष्वात्मभूर्हरि: ।
सृजत्यमोघसङ्कल्प आत्मैवात्मानमात्मना ॥२९॥
अत: परम् प्रवक्ष्यामि from here after, will tell
वंशान्-मन्वन्तराणि च of the dynasties, the Manvantaras and एवम् रज:-प्लुत: स्रष्टा like this by Rajas overcome, the creator कल्प-आदिषु-आत्म-भू:-हरि: in the Kalpa's beginning, Self created Lord सृजति-अमोघ-सङ्कल्प: creates of Unfailing Resolve आत्मा-एव-आत्मानम्- Himself only Himself आत्मना by Himself After this, I will tell you about the dynesties and the Manvantaras, the period precided over by the Manus. Like this, The Creator, in the beginning of every Kalpa, period of creation, the very self, self created Lord of Unfailing Resove, creates Himself, Himself only, from Himself.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां तृतीयस्कन्धे दशम: अध्याय: ॥१०॥ Thus ends the tenth discourse in Book Three of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.