च्रेअतिओन्

सर्ग

/

SARGA

(

creation

).

agni

purāṇa,

Chapter

20

refers

to

various

sargas

as

follows.

The

first

creation

is

that

of

greatness

(

Mahatva

)

i

e.

brahmā.

The

second

creation

is

that

of

tanmātras

called

bhūtasarga.

The

third

is

Vaikārikasarga

also

called

Aindriyikasarga.

These

three

kinds

of

creation

are

called

prākṛta

sṛṣṭi

(

natural

creation

)

and

that

is

conscious

and

intelligent

creation.

The

fourth

is

mukhyasarga.

Mukhyas

mean

immovables.

The

fifth

is

tiryagyonisṛṣṭi.

Since

it

functions

side-long

it

is

called

tiryaksrotas.

The

sixth

is

the

creation

of

Ūrdhvasrotas,

called

devasarga.

The

seventh

is

the

creation

of

arvāksrotas,

called

mānuṣasarga.

The

eighth,

anugrahasarga,

is

both

sāttvic

and

tāmasic.

Thus,

vaikṛtasargas

are

five

in

number

and

prākṛtasargas

three.

The

ninth

sarga

is

the

Kaumāra

sarga,

which

is

both

vaikṛta

and

prākṛta.

The

fundamental

or

root

cause

of

the

universe

is

the

above

nine

creations

of

brahmā.

Prākṛtasarga

is

of

three

types,

nitya

(

eternal

),

naimittika

(

casual

)

and

dainandina

(

daily

).

Nityasarga

is

the

creation

after

interim

deluges.

सृष्टि

/

SṚṢṬI

(

creation

).

The

Indian

theory

of

creation

is

given

below:1

)

Triguṇas

(

The

three

attributes

).

The

base

of

the

universe

is

the

set

of

the

three

attributes.

They

are

Sattva

(

purity

),

Rajas

(

passion

)

and

tamas

(

inertia

).

Only

things

which

could

be

seen,

possess

these

three

attributes.

Things

which

could

be

seen

are

perishable.

The

indestructible

could

not

be

seen.

Shape

or

form

is

an

attribute.

God

has

no

form.

So

god

is

without

attributes.

The

God

devoid

of

attributes

can

be

realised

by

knowledge,

but

cannot

be

seen

with

the

ordinary

eyes.

The

three

attributes

have

a

power

each.

Knowledge

is

the

power

of

Sattva,

activity,

the

power

of

Rajas

and

reason

the

power

of

tamas.2

)

The

five

elements.

From

the

divine

power

of

tamas,

five

senses

came

into

being,

such

as

sound,

touch,

form,

taste

and

smell.

Sound

is

the

attribute

of

ether

touch,

the

attribute

of

air

form,

the

attribute

of

fire

taste,

the

attribute

of

water

and

smell,

the

attribute

of

earth.

These

are

the

minute

senses

or

essentials.

These

five

senses

having

the

divine

powers,

joined

together

with

the

five

minute

essentials,

make

up

the

attribute

of

tamas.

From

the

attribute

of

Sattva

having

the

power

of

knowledge,

the

ten

essentials,

such

as

air,

the

Sun,

pāśī

(

varuṇa

)

two

Aśvinī-gods,

candra

(

Moon

),

brahmā,

rudra,

Kṣetrajña

and

mind,

came

into

being.

From

these

essentials

the

formation

of

five

matters

took

place.

They

are

the

five

elements.

When

vigour

enters

the

quintupled

elements,

egoism

is

given

a

form.

This

vigour

with

perceptible

body

is

called

Ādi

nārāyaṇa

(

Primordial

nārāyaṇa

).

Anyhow,

quintupled

elements

will

be

bright

with

firm

attributes.

Ether

has

the

attribute

of

sound

only.

Air

has

the

attributes

of

sound

and

touch.

Fire

has

the

three

attributes

of

sound,

touch

and

form.

Water

has

the

four

attributes

of

sound,

touch,

form

and

taste,

and

earth

has

the

five

attributes

of

sound,

touch,

form,

taste

and

smell.

The

variegated

expression

of

these

five

elements

is

called

the

universe.

It

is

stated

in

devī

bhāgavata,

skandha

3,

that

the

number

of

species

of

living

beings

found

in

the

universe

is

eightyfour

lakhs.3

)

The

embodied

three

(

Trinity

).

It

has

been

mentioned

in

the

last

section

how

the

three

attributes

came

into

existence

and

how

the

five

elements

originated

from

the

three

attributes

and

how

vigour

or

energy

acted

upon

the

five

elements

and

Ādi

nārāyaṇa

or

viṣṇu

came

into

being.

In

this

section

the

birth

of

the

three

divine

figures

is

being

dealt

with.

In

the

known

beginning,

on

the

surface

of

the

wide

waters,

covering

the

universe

made

of

the

five

elements,

Mahāviṣṇu

lay

on

a

banyan

tree,

as

a

child.

“Who

am

I?

How

was

I

made,

and

what

for?

What

have

I

to

do?”,

and

so

on

were

the

thoughts

of

the

child.

Instantly

a

voice

from

the

ether

fell

into

his

ears

saying,

“I

am

everything.

There

is

nothing

eternal

except

me.”

Mahāviṣṇu

lay

contemplating

on

the

voice

he

heard,

when

Mahādevī

appeared

before

Mahāviṣṇu

and

said

thus:--“Lo!

Mahāviṣṇu!

Whenever

the

universe

required

creation,

preservation

and

destruction,

by

the

potentiality

of

the

Omnipotence

or

the

Brahman

with

no

attributes,

you

too

had

taken

origin.

Understand

that

the

Omnipotence

is

beyond

attributes.

We

all

are

within

the

purview

of

attributes.

Your

attribute

mainly

is

Sattva.

From

your

navel,

will

be

born

brahmā

with

Rajas

as

his

main

attribute

and

from

the

forehead

of

that

brahmā,

śiva

with

tamas

as

his

main

attribute

will

be

born.

By

the

power

of

penance,

brahmā

will

acquire

the

power

of

creation

and

with

the

help

of

the

attribute

of

rajas,

he

will

create

a

world

of

the

colour

of

blood.

You

will

be

the

protector

and

preserver

of

that

world,

and

at

the

end

of

the

kalpa

(

world-age

)

śiva

will

destroy

that

world.

I

am

that

power

of

purity,

which

stands

as

help

and

assistance

to

you

in

creation.”

Accordingly,

brahmā

was

born

from

the

navel

of

viṣṇu

and

śiva

was

born

from

the

forehead

of

brahmā.

(

devī

bhāgavata,

skandha

1

).4

)

creation.

Sprouts,

Animals

and

Humanity.

After

the

birth

of

the

Trinity,

while

brahmā

was

contemplating

on

creation,

some

creations

of

the

attribute

of

tamas

originated

from

him

unknowingly.

It

was

Avidyā

(

Ignorance

),

having

mertia,

desire,

great

desire,

darkness

and

great

darkness

as

its

five

branches.

That

god

continued

his

contemplation.

Then

five

kinds

of

immovables

without

the

power

of

knowledge

or

brightness

in

and

out

alike,

and

with

souls

covered

with

darkness,

originated.

As

these

immovables

are

said

to

be

prominent,

the

creation

of

them

is

called

prominent

creation.

These

are

called

Sprouts

(

Udbhids

).

Seeing

that

this

creation

was

not

sufficient,

the

god

again

sat

in

contemplation.

This

time

animals

having

horizontal

back

bones

and

organs

of

sense

were

created.

They

were

called

tiryaksrotas,

as

they

walked

horizontally.

They,

such

as

cow

etc.

are

having

more

of

the

attributes

of

darkness

and

less

of

knowledge.

They

traverse

wrong

paths

due

to

lack

of

knowledge

though

they

think

otherwise.

Egoism,

pride

and

twentyeight

kinds

of

incapacities

are

their

qualities.

Though

they

possess

knowledge

inwardly

they

do

not

know

each

other.

Thinking

that

this

creation

also

was

not

sufficient,

brahmā

again

engaged

himself

in

contemplation,

and

there

came

out

another

creation.

It

was

called

‘Ūrddhvasrotas’

(

flowing

upwards

).

This

third

creation

having

the

attribute

mainly

of

Sattva

moved

in

a

lofty

level.

Those

who

were

born

in

this

creation,

desired

for

comfort

and

pleasure

and

were

with

the

light

of

knowledge

inwardly

and

outwardly.

When

the

third

creation

called

Devasṛṣṭi

(

creation

of

gods

)

originated

from

brahmā

he

grew

happy

and

contented.

Even

after

creating

thus

much,

brahmā

did

not

feel

satisfaction.

So

he

made

the

creation

of

‘Arvāksrotas’

(

moving

downwards

).

The

creatures

of

this

group

were

having

the

attributes

of

Sattva,

Rajas

and

tamas

in

an

advanced

degree.

So

they

are

miserable

and

full

of

activity.

They

are

human

beings.

Thus

having

completed

the

creation

of

Udbhids

(

Sprouts

),

Tiryaks

(

animals

)

and

Arvāks

(

human

beings

)

brahmā

passed

on

to

the

creation

of

heavenly

beings.

(

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

aṁśa

1

Chapter

5

).5

)

creation.

Night,

Day,

Evening,

Morning.

After

this

brahmā

again

sat

in

contemplation

for

water-creation

which

is

the

creation

of

devas,

Asuras,

pitṛs

and

Manuṣyas

(

Gods,

Demons,

the

Manes

and

man

).

As

he

was

sitting

in

contemplation,

the

attribute

of

tamas

(

inertia

)

advanced

in

him

and

the

asuras

(

demons

)

were

born

from

his

loins.

Then

brahmā

discarded

the

figure

of

tamas

in

him.

That

discarded

figure

of

darkness

became

the

night.

Next,

from

the

face

of

brahmā,

the

devas

(

gods

)

were

born.

They

were

having

the

attribute

of

Sattva

(

purity

).

brahmā

discarded

that

figure

of

purity

also.

That

figure

became

the

bright

day.

So

the

asuras

are

powerful

in

the

night

and

the

devas

are

powerful

in

the

day.

After

this,

the

manes

were

born

from

brahmā.

They

were

also

discarded.

They

became

the

evening

between

the

day

and

night.

Then

brahmā

assumed

the

figure

having

the

attribute

of

Rajas.

From

this,

man,

who

was

having

more

of

the

attribute

of

rajas

was

born.

brahmā

discarded

that

figure

also.

It

became

a

very

shining

thing

which

is

called

the

Dawn.

So

men

are

powerful

in

the

dawn

and

the

manes

are

powerful

in

the

evening.

The

four

creations

of

Day,

Night,

Evening

and

the

Dawn

are

considered

to

be

the

bodies

of

brahmā.

(

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

aṁśa

1,

Chapter

5

).6

)

creation.

Rākṣasas

(

Giants

),

Yakṣas

(

Demi-gods

),

Serpents,

Devils,

Gandharvas

brahmā

again

assumed

another

figure

having

the

attribute

of

Rajas.

Due

to

this

brahmā

felt

hungry.

Along

with

hunger

desire

also

grew

in

him.

Then

the

prajāpati

(

Lord

of

Emanation

)

sat

in

the

darkness

and

created

some

creatures

which

were

very

hungry.

Uncouth

with

plenty

of

hair

on

the

face,

they

ran

towards

brahmā.

Of

them

those

who

said,

‘don't

do

so,

save

him’

became

Rākṣasas

(

giants

).

Those

who

said

“We

will

eat

him”,

became

Yakṣas,

(

demi-gods

).

Because

of

Yakṣaṇa

(

Bhakṣaṇa-Food

),

they

got

the

name

yakṣa.

Because

of

the

dislike

at

seeing

these

creatures

the

hair

had

fallen

from

the

head

of

brahmā.

They

crept

back

again

into

his

head.

Because

they

did

‘sarpaṇa’

(

creeping

up

)

they

were

called

sarpas

(

serpents

)

and

as

they

were

‘Hīna’

(

fallen

)

they

were

called

Ahis

(

serpents

).

After

this

the

Lord

of

creation

became

very

angry

and

created

some

creatures.

Because

of

their

colour

which

was

a

mingling

of

red

and

black,

they

were

horrible

and

they

became

piśitāśanas

(

those

who

eat

flesh

).

Then

brahmā

began

to

sing

and

from

his

body

the

Gandharvas

were

born.

Because

they

did

‘dhayana’

(

Appreciate

)

of

‘go’

(

word

)

when

they

were

born,

they

were

called

Gandharvas.7

)

creation.

Birds,

animals.

After

creating

all

these

creatures,

brahmā

created

birds,

from

his

‘vayas’

(

strength

),

as

free

agents,

according

to

their

actions

in

the

previous

lives.

Then

brahmā

created

sheep

from

his

breast

and

goats

from

his

face.

From

his

stomach

and

flanks

he

created

cows,

and

from

his

legs

he

created

other

creatures

such

as

the

horse,

elephant,

donkey,

wild

bull,

deer,

camel,

mule,

antelope

etc.

He

created

plants

bearing

fruits

and

bulbs

from

his

hairs.

Though

brahmā

had

created

vegetables

and

animals

at

the

beginning

of

the

kalpa

(

world-age

),

they

came

to

be

properly

used

in

sacrifices

only

from

tretāyuga

(

one

of

the

four

ages

)

The

animals

such

as

the

cow,

sheep,

goat,

horse,

mule

and

donkey

are

called

domestic

animals

and

flesh-eaters

such

as

the

leopard,

animals

with

forked

hoof

such

as

the

wild

bull,

elephant,

monkey,

birds,

and

other

animals

and

reptiles,

are

included

in

the

word

‘wild

animals’.8

)

creation-The

Vedas

etc.

After

having

completed

creation

of

the

things

mentioned

above,

the

prajāpati

created

from

his

face

looking

to

the

east,

the

Vedic

metre

gāyatrī,

ṛgveda,

Trivṛtstoma,

the

sāma

song

called

rathantara

and

the

sacrifice

called

agniṣṭoma

from

his

face

looking

to

the

south,

yajurveda,

the

Vedic

metre

Traiṣṭubha,

Pañcadaśa

stoma.

bṛhatsāma

and

the

sacrifice

uktha

from

his

face

looking

to

the

west,

sāmaveda,

the

Vedic

metre

jagatī,

Saptadaśastoma,

Vairūpasāma

and

the

sacrifice

atirātra.

Thus

all

the

creatures

lofty

and

lower

originated

from

the

body

of

brahmā.

After

having

created

devas,

Asuras,

the

manes

and

men,

brahmā

again

at

the

beginning

of

the

world

age,

created

Yakṣas,

Devils,

Gandharvas,

celestial

maids,

Naras,

kinnaras,

rakṣas,

cows,

birds,

animals,

serpents

etc.

such

as

have

long

life

and

short

life,

movable

and

immovable,

that

we

see

in

the

world.

Creatures

which

are

created

again

and

again

do

perform

functions

which

creatures

of

their

kind

had

been

doing

previously.

Habits

of

killing

or

not

killing,

kindness

or

cruelty,

righteousness

or

evil,

truth

or

falsehood

are

adopted

by

them

as

becoming

to

their

kind

in

previous

lives.

It

was

brahmā

who

had

created

the

uses

and

differences

seen

in

the

sense

organs,

elements

and

bodies.

brahmā

took

from

the

Vedic

voice

the

shape,

form,

name,

activities

etc.

of

various

creatures

such

as

the

devas

etc.

and

allotted

them

to

each

particular

kind.

So

also

he

allotted

names,

work

etc.

to

hermits

as

seen

in

the

Vedas.9

)

creation

of

the

four

castes.

See

under

Cāturvarṇya.10

)

creation

of

prajāpatis.

When

brahmā

saw

that

the

subjects

he

had

created,

did

not

flourish,

he

created

first

the

Sanaka

brothers

and

the

mental

sons

of

bhṛgu,

pulastya,

pulaha,

kratu,

aṅgiras,

marīci,

dakṣa,

atri

and

vasiṣṭha,

and

gave

these

nine

the

name

prajāpatis

(

Lords

of

Emanation

).

Then

he

created

nine

women

named

khyāti,

Bhūti,

sambhūti,

kṣamā,

prīti,

sannati,

Ūrjā,

anasūyā.

and

prasūti

and

gave

in

marriage

khyāti

to

bhṛgu,

Bhūti

to

pulastya,

sambhūti

to

pulaha,

kṣamā

to

kratu,

prīti

to

aṅgiras,

sannati

to

marīci,

Ūrjā

to

dakṣa,

anasūyā

to

atri

and

prasūti

to

vasiṣṭha.

The

great

hermits

such

as

sanandana

and

the

others

created

before

the

prajāpatis,

were

not

desirous

of

propagation

as

they

were

wise

sages

who

had

renounced

all

attachments

and

who

had

been

indifferent.

When

brahmā

saw

that

they

were

not

mindful

about

producing

subjects

he

grew

angry.

(

It

was

from

the

middle

of

the

eye

brows

which

were

curved

by

his

fury,

that

śiva,

one

of

the

three

divine

figures

was

born

).

After

this,

brahmā

appointed

Svāyambhuva,

who

originated

from

himself,

and

was

of

the

same

shape,

as

the

first

manu

for

the

protection

of

the

subjects.

This

divine

manu

Svāyambhuva

took

his

sister

śatarūpā

as

wife.

Two

sons

named

priyavrata

and

uttānapāda

and

two

daughters

named

prasūti

and

ākūti

were

born

to

them.

Of

the

two

daughters

prasūti

was

given

to

prajāpati

dakṣa

and

ākūti

to

prajāpati

ruci.

A

son

named

yajña

and

a

daughter

named

dakṣiṇā

were

born

as

twins

to

prajāpati

ruci.

Twelve

sons

were

born

to

yajña

by

dakṣiṇā.

They

were

devas

named

the

Yamas

of

the

manvantara

of

Svāyambhuva.

dakṣa

begot

twentyfour

daughters

of

prasūti.

They

were

śraddhā,

lakṣmī,

dhṛti,

tuṣṭi,

medhā,

puṣṭi,

kriyā,

buddhi,

Lajjā,

vapus,

śānti,

siddhi,

kīrti,

khyāti,

satī,

sambhūti,

smṛti,

prīti,

kṣamā,

Santati,

anasūyā,

Ūrjā,

svāhā

and

Svadhā.

Of

these

the

first

thirteen

were

given

to

Dharmadeva

as

wives.

Of

the

remaining

daughters,

khyāti

became

the

wife

of

bhṛgu,

satī,

the

wife

of

śiva,

sambhūti

of

marīci,

smṛti,

of

aṅgiras,

prīti

of

pulastya,

kṣamā

of

pulaha,

Santati

of

kratu,

anasūyā

of

atri,

Ūrjā

of

vasiṣṭha,

svāhā

of

agni,

and

Svadhā

of

the

manes.

(

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

aṁśa

1

Chapter

7

).11

)

The

children

of

the

prajāpatis.

To

prajāpati

bhṛgu,

lakṣmī

who

became

the

wife

of

viṣṇu

and

two

sons

named

dhātā

and

vidhātā

were

born

by

khyāti.

These

two

married

āyati

and

niyati

the

two

daughters

of

Meru.

To

the

two

couples

two

sons

named

prāṇa

and

mṛkaṇḍu

were

born.

From

mṛkaṇḍu,

mārkaṇḍeya

was

born,

and

from

mārkaṇḍeya,

vedaśiras

was

born.

To

prāṇa

a

son

named

dyutimān

and

to

him

a

son

named

rājavān

was

born.

From

this

rājavān

the

bhṛgu

dynasty

grew

up.

sambhūti

the

wife

of

marīci

gave

birth

to

a

son

named

paurṇamāsa.

To

aṅgiras

four

daughters

named

sinīvālī,

kuhū,

rākā

and

anumati

were

born

by

smṛti.

three

sinless

sons

named

candra,

durvāsas

and

dattātreya

were

born

to

atri

by

anasūyā.

Of

them

dattātreya

was

a

hermit.

A

son

named

dattoli

was

born

to

pulastya

by

Pratīti

(

prīti

).

That

dattoli

was

the

agastya

of

Svāyambhuva

manvantara.

kṣamā

the

wife

of

pulaha

gave

birth

to

three

sons

named

kardama,

urvarīyān

and

sahiṣṇu.

Santati

the

wife

of

kratu,

gave

birth

to

sixty

thousand

hermits

called

bālakhilyas.

Seven

sons

named

Rajas,

gotra,

ūrdhvabāhu,

savana,

anagha,

sutapas

and

śukra

were

born

to

vasiṣṭha

by

his

wife

Ūrjā.

These

sons

were

the

seven

hermits

of

the

third

manvantara.

three

bright

sons

pāvaka

pavamāna

and

śuci

were

born

to

god

agni

(

fire

)

by

his

wife

svāhā.

Fortyfive

sons

were

born

to

them.

(

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

aṁśa

1,

Chapter

10

).12

)

creation--Living

things.

Creations

of

Sprouts,

animals,

Men,

devas,

Dānavas

and

so

on

have

been

dealt

with.

But

all

these

creations

were

pertaining

to

the

world

of

gods

only.

Sprouts

and

animals

were

born

in

the

earth

only

from

prajāpati

kaśyapa,

the

son

of

marīci.

prajāpati

kaśyapa

married

aditi,

diti,

danu,

kālikā,

tāmrā,

krodhavaśā,

manu

and

analā,

the

eight

daughters

of

dakṣa.

From

aditi,

the

devas,

Ādityas,

Vasus

and

the

Rudras

were

born.

Daityas

were

born

from

diti

and

Dānavas

from

danu.

The

asuras

naraka

and

kāla

were

born

to

kālikā.

Five

daughters

named

krauñcī,

bhāsī,

śyenī,

dhṛtarāṣṭrī

and

śukī

were

born

to

tāmrā.

Owls

were

born

from

krauñcī.

bhāsī

gave

birth

to

the

bhāsas.

Hawks

and

Vultures

were

born

from

śyenī

Swans,

geese

and

ruddy

geese

were

born

from

dhṛtarāṣṭrī.

Natā

was

born

from

śukī

and

vinatā

was

born

from

Natā.

ten

daughters

named

mṛgī,

mṛgamandā,

Harī,

bhadramatā,

mātaṅgī,

śārdūlī

śvetā,

surabhi,

surasā

and

kadrū,

were

born

to

krodhavaśā.

mṛgī

gave

birth

to

animals.

From

mṛgamandā,

bears,

young

deer

and

Bos

grunniens

were

born.

Lions

and

monkeys

were

the

sons

of

Harī.

A

daughter

named

irāvatī

was

born

to

bhadramatā.

airāvata

was

the

son

of

irāvatī.

Elephants

were

born

from

mātaṅgī.

Tigers

were

born

from

śārdūlī.

The

eight

elephants

supporting

the

globe

were

born

from

śvetā.

Two

daughters

named

rohiṇī

and

gandharvī

were

born

to

surabhi.

Cattle

were

born

from

rohiṇī,

and

horses

were

born

from

gandharvī.

surasā

gave

birth

to

Nāgas

(

serpents

)

and

kadrū

gave

birth

to

Uragas

(

reptiles

).

Men

were

born

from

manu.

The

trees

were

born

from

analā.

garuḍa

and

aruṇa

were

born

from

vinatā.

sampāti

and

jaṭāyu

were

the

sons

of

aruṇa.

(

vālmīki

rāmāyaṇa,

araṇya

Kāṇḍa,

sarga

14

).

(

Facts

about

creation

seen

in

various

Purāṇas

do

not

agree

with

each

other.

This

essay

is

based

on

facts

gathered

from

various

Purāṇas.

So

disagreements

may

occur

in

it.

)