2 - Primary Creation

Suta (the narrator) said:

1. Then pleased by the devotion of the Earth resting in his body, Vishnu manifested Mäyä (the power of illusion) and stood therein the same form of Varäha.

2. And he said: O lovely damsel, why this strange question? I shall tell you the subject of the Purana from all the Shästras (disciplines of knowledge).

3. This verse applies to all the Puränas. Therefore, O Earth, listen to it intently.

Varäha said:

4. Primary creation, secondary creation, genealogy, reigns of the Manus (the lords of the aeons) and history (of the solar and lunar) races—these arc the five characteristic topics in a Puräna.

5. Now, I shall speak of the primary creation from which begins the history of gods and Kings.

6. The eternal supreme soul is said to be consisting of four   parts.

7. First, I was endless Vyoma (indiscrete in space). Then the principal atomic intellect came out of me. The Intellect was threefold, consisting of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, each of which being added separately with the form of Sattva.¹

1. The Versa 7 and 8 seem to be corrupt. The idea is not clear.

 8. As Tamas predominated in this trinity, there appeared What is called the Pradhäna (the originator or source Prakruti of the material world). And out of that Pradhãna, the powerful Kshetrajña (the Supreme Soul) arose. From that came out the intellect.

9. From these, next manifested the sense-organs of the world, the causes of hearing etc., with latent elements, O auspicious lady, the cosmic matter was created by me.

10. In the beginning there was only void. Then sound and ether, then air and after that fire and water, and next, O goddess, you, the mother of all beings were created by me.

11. As a result of the union of these, in the earth, appeared an egg with frothing generative fluid in the water. When the egg expanded, I assumed the form of water myself.

12. Having created water and resting therein, I (Vishnu) came to be called ‘Narayana’. In each Kalpa (grand aeon), I, again and again, lie on the water. while sleeping there, a lotus flower came out of the navel, as now.

13. Then, from the navel-lotus, the four-faced (God Brahmä) came out. I ordained him to create men.

14. Then, I disappeared. And as he (Brahmä) stood brooding over (what I had said), he did not know what to do. 

15. Then this mysteriously-born Brahmä became very angry and from that anger arose a boy.

16. The boy was crying but he was stopped by Brahma. Then the boy demanded: ‘Give me a name’, and Brahma gave him the name ‘Rudra’ (‘the crying one’).

17. O auspicious lady, he was then ordered by Brahma: “create this world”. Being unable to do that, then, he plunged into water and decided to perform penance.

18. As he sank into the water, Brahma created another Prajäpati (Creator) out of his own right thumb.

19. And from his left thumb, he created also a wife (for the Prajäpati).

20. In her, the Prajäpati procreated Sväyambhuva Manu. Thus was given the idea of progeny by Brahma:

Earth said:

21. Tell me in detail, O God of gods, the primary creation, and how this Brahma (in the form of) Näräyana, came into existence at the beginning of Kalpa.

The Lord said:

22. Goddess Earth, listen to my detailed description how, as Näräyana, I created all the beings. 

23. At the end of the previous Kalpa, while he was sleeping at night, O auspicious lady, as the quality of Sattva predominated in him, Brahma saw the world empty.

24.  is the supreme, incomprehensible, elder even to the old, in the form of Brahman (the supreme soul), the great god, beginningless and present in all beings.

25. The following verse is said about Näräyana, the supreme Brahma, the source of the world and imperishable.

26. “Water is said to be Nära, since it is verily the progeny of nara (man). As water is the repose of the Lord, He is called Näräyana.”

27. While, he, in yore, in the beginning of the kalpas, pondered there arose a creation beginning. with ignorance and consisting of darkness.

 28. From that great being, came out the five-fold ignorance consisting of Tamas (obscurity), Moha (illusion), Mahämoha (extreme illusion), Tämisra (gloom) and Andhatämisra (utter darkness 

29. On meditating, he knew the five-fold creation. This should be understood as the Mukhya-sarga (principal creation) by the learned.

30. On meditating again, creation of a high character occurred, as a result of which the animal world came into being and it is known as Tiryakasrotas (in which the stream of life of the created beings is horizontal).

31. Cattle and other animals of that kind were straying on wrong paths. Brahma thought that this creation, Tiryaksrotas, was imperfect.

32. There took place, therefore the three-fold Ûrdhvasrotas (in which the stream of life of the created beings tends upwards) which was of a Sättvika type and based on virtue. From that, all the gods living in the upper world were created.

33. After making this creation, the creator found that the productions of the principal creation etc., were not competent and he continued his meditation.

34. Then the Lord meditated on the creation Arväksrotas (in which the stream of life of the created beings moves downwards). In the Arväksrotas the human beings were created who were quite competent.

35. They have Prakäšha (abundant light of clear knowledge, internal and external) but (the qualities of) darkness (Tamas) and passion (Rajas) predominate in them. Hence they have a lot of sorrow and are continuously engaged in action.

36-37. O beautiful lady, I have thus told you six creations. Of these, the first creation was of Mahat (intellect); the second was of Tanmãträs (subtle elements), the third was of Vikäras (being products evolved from the basic Prakruti) which is also called Aindriyaka. These three creations were known as Präkruta creations preceded by Buddhi (intellect).

38-39. The fourth one was called the Mukhya-sarga (principal creation). Immovable beings are principal. The fifth was called Tiryaksrotas wherein the animal world was created. Then the sixth one, Ûrdhvasrotas, creation of gods, and it was the best. The seventh was the creation of mankind (Arväksrotas) and the eighth creation was Anugraha. That was characterised by Sattva (good) and Tamas (darkness).

40. These last five creations were called Vaikruta, the first three being Präkrutas. There was also a ninth creation called Kaumära which was Präkruta as well as Vaikruta.

41. These are the name creations Of Prajäpati. Prãkrutas and Vaikrutas are the root causes of the world. Thus the creations have been told. What else, then, do you want to know?

Earth said:

42. Out of the mysteriously-born Brahma, nine types of creation came out. How did they multiply? Tell me this, O imperishable god!

Varãha said:

43. First Rudra and other sages were created by Brahmä. Then Sanaka and the rest and afterwards (sage) Marichi and the rest:

44. (Namely, the sages) Marichi, Atri, Añgiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, great-prowessed Prachetas, Bhrugu, Närada and as the tenth Vasishtha, performer of great penance.

45. By him (Brahmä), (sage) Sanaka and others were appointed for the functions of renunciation, and Marichi and others excepting sage Närada, for those of action.

46, In the race of the first Prajäpati who was born from the right thumb of Brahma, this world with all the animate and inanimate beings appeared first.

47. Gods, demons, Gandharvas, snakes and birds—all these most virtuous beings were born from Daksha’s (Prajäpati’s) daughters.

48-49. Rudra who Came out of the forehead of Brahma with his eyebrows knit in anger, was in one half of his body a man and in the other half a woman. Asking the fierce Rudra to divide himself, Brahmä disappeared.

50. When said thus, he divided himself into a man and a woman. Then the masculine part divided itself into eleven parts.

51. Then onwards the eleven Rudras became famous as originated from Brahma.

52. I have thus told you, O sinless lady, the creation of Rudras in brief. I shall now tell you briefly the greatness of the Yugas (aeons).

53. There are four Yugas, namely, Kruta, Tretä, Dväpara and Kali.

54. Hear from me of the noble and generous kings, gods, demons and others who performed righteous deeds in these Yugas.

55-56. Long ago, in the first Kalpa, there lived Sväyambhuva Manu. He got two virtuous sons of super-human capacity by name Priyavrata and Uttänapäda. Among these two, king Priyavrata was a great performer of sacrifices and spiritually eminent.

57. After performing many sacrifices munificently, and placing his sons Bharata and the rest in the seven islands (namely, Jambû, Plaksha, Shälmali, Kušha, Krauñcha, Shäka and Pushkara), he went to the grand Višhälä and performed great penance.

58. While the virtuous emperor was thus doing penance, (sage) Närada came there to see him.

59. Seeing Närada descending from the sky like the lustrous sun, the king was delighted and stood up in respect.

60. After giving him seat and the water for washing his feet, both of them began to speak with introductory words of welcome.

61. At the end of these formalities, the king asked the seer Närada:

Priyavrata said:

62. O illustrious Närada, tell me a little of the wonders you have seen or heard in this Krutayuga.

Närada said:

63. Listen to a wonder, O Priyavrata, seen by me. Yesterday, O King, I went to (the island of) Shvetadvipa.

64. There was a lake with an array of full-blown lotuses and on its bank was a girl having large eyes.

65. At the sight of that lovely sweet-tongued girl, O king, I was wonder-struck and I asked her:

66. “O auspicious lady, who are you? How are you here? What do you want? Tell me, O charming lady, what is to be done?”

67-68. When asked by me thus, she looked at me intently and stood thinking and silent.  Just then I forgot all my great knowledge, all the Vedas (Ruk, Yajus and Säma), all the. Šhästras (Shikshä, Kalpa, Nirukta, Chandas, Vyäkarana and Jyotisha), Yogas (psychic disciplines) Shikshä (physical discipline) Smrutis (codes of conduct) and all the rest.

69-70. By merely looking at me, O king. all this was taken away by the girl within a moment. Struck with wonder and full of anxiety and sorrow, then, I went near her and begged for her kindness. As I was beholding her, O king, a divine person appeared on her body.

71. And, in the heart of that person another one appeared, and on the breast of the latter appeared another with reddish eyes and lustrous like the twelve Suns.

72. Thus three men were seen on the body of that lady. At the next moment, O righteous king, only the girl was seen, and not the men.

73. Then I asked that illustrious girl: “How are my Vedas lost? Tell me, O auspicious lady, the reason for this.”

The girl said:

74.  I am Sävitrï, the mother of all the Vedas. Since you did not know me, you lost the Vedas.”

75. When thus told, I asked her. in wonder: “0 beautiful lady, tell me who are these men”.

The girl said:

76. “This beautiful one, residing in my body, with all his (six) añgas, is known as Rugveda. This Veda is Näräyana himself. Soon after its utterance, it becomes verily a fire to burn all sins.

77. He, whom you saw in his heart, is the mighty Brahma in the form of Yajurveda.

78-79. He who was seen in his heart, resplendent and pure, is called Sãmaveda, manifested in the form of Rudra. This Veda, when recited, destroys sins like the sun.

81. These three great Vedas are, O sage, the three great gods. These are the letters beginning with ‘a’. It is here, O Dvija (twice-born), all the sacrifices dwell.

81. O best Of the Brahmins, I have told you all this in brief. Now take back, O Närada, your Vedas, Shästras and your omni-science.

82. In this lake of the Vedas, O great Brahmin, take your bath. After this bath, O good sage, you will recollect all the things of the other births.”

83. Saying this, O king, the girl disappeared. Having taken bath in that lake, I have come here to see you.