The Chapter Describing the Order of Creation — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 1

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनाध्यायः

The complete The Chapter Describing the Order of Creation chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 23 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka colophon — Chapter colophon

इति सविमर्शसुधाव्याख्योपेते बृहत्पाराशरहोराशास्त्रे सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनाध्यायः समाप्तः ॥ १ ॥

Thus ends the chapter describing the order of creation, in the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra furnished with the Sudhā commentary and its critical discussion.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka colophon

Śloka 1-2 — Frame narrative — Maitreya approaches Parāśara in the Himālaya

अथैकदा सुखासीनं पार्श्वे हिमवतः शुभे । महर्षिप्रवरं पूज्यं पराशरमुदारधीः ॥ १ ॥ मैत्रेयो हि मुनिर्होराशास्त्रजिज्ञासया स्वयम् । साष्टाङ्गप्रणिपातेन प्रणम्येदमुवाच ह ॥ २ ॥

Once, on the auspicious flank of Himavat, the noble-minded sage Maitreya — himself moved by the wish to know the Horāśāstra — bowed with the eight-limbed prostration before the venerable Parāśara, foremost among the great ṛṣis, who was seated at his ease, and spoke as follows.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 1-2

Śloka 3-4 — Maitreya's request — expound Horāśāstra for the Kali age

भगवन् ! भवता लोककल्याणाय कलौ युगे । यथोदिता स्मृतिस्तद्वत् कृपयाऽवनताय मे ॥ ३ ॥ होराशास्त्रं प्रसिद्धं यत् त्रिस्कन्धज्यौतिषेऽद्भुतम् । तदेव दैवज्ञमुदे विस्तरादुच्यतामिह ॥ ४ ॥

O Bhagavan! Just as, for the welfare of the world in the Kali age, Smṛti was expounded by you, so too — out of compassion, to me who bow before you — let that celebrated Horāśāstra, the wonder of the three-branched jyotiṣa, be told here at length, for the delight of the astrologers (daivajña).

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 3-4

Śloka 5-6 — The two questions — cosmogony, and the sky-earth link that makes prediction work

कथमस्य हि विश्वस्य प्रभवोऽथ लयो भवेत् । नभःस्थायिग्रहाणाञ्च भूमिष्ठप्राणिनां मिथः ॥ ५ ॥ कीदृशोऽस्ति च सम्बन्धः फलं येन प्रजायते । एतत्सर्वं समाख्याहि त्वं दैवज्ञेषु विश्रुतः ॥ ६ ॥

How does the arising, and then the dissolution, of this universe come about? And of what kind is the mutual relation between the grahas that abide in the sky and the living beings that stand upon the earth — the relation by which fruit (phala) is produced? Declare all this fully, for you are renowned among astrologers.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 5-6

Śloka 7-8 — Parāśara's assent and invocation of Sūrya, lord of the grahas

मुनेऽधुनैष ते प्रश्नः कृतो लोकहितेच्छया । अतोऽहं परमं ब्रह्मन् ! शक्तिमत्परमेश्वरम् ॥ ७ ॥ सूर्यं नत्वा ग्रहपतिं जगदुत्पत्तिकारणम् । वक्ष्यामि वेदनयनं यथा ब्रह्ममुखाच्छ्रुतम् ॥ ८ ॥

O muni, this question of yours has now been asked out of a desire for the good of the world. Therefore, O brahman, having bowed to the supreme, power-possessing Parameśvara — the Sun, lord of the grahas, cause of the world's arising — I shall declare [this śāstra,] the eye of the Veda, just as it was heard from the mouth of Brahmā.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 7-8

Śloka 9 — Eligibility of the student — to whom the teaching may be given

शान्ताय गुरुभक्ताय सदा सत्पथगामिने । आस्तिकाय प्रदातव्यं ततः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यति ॥ ९ ॥

It is to be given to one who is tranquil, devoted to the guru, ever walking the path of the good, and a believer (āstika); thereby he will indeed obtain welfare.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Prohibition — to whom the teaching must not be given

न देयं परशिष्याय नास्तिकाय शठाय च । दत्ते प्रतिदिनं दुःखं जायते नात्र संशयः ॥ १० ॥

It must not be given to another's disciple, to a non-believer, or to a deceitful man. When it is given [to such a one], sorrow arises day after day — of this there is no doubt.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Viṣṇu the unmanifest — beginningless, attributeless yet possessed of the three guṇas

एकोऽव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुरनादिः प्रभुरीश्वरः । शुद्धतत्त्वो जगत्स्वामी निर्गुणस्त्रिगुणान्वितः ॥ ११ ॥

Viṣṇu is one, of unmanifest (avyakta) nature, beginningless, the Lord and Ruler; of pure essence, master of the world, without guṇas yet joined with the three guṇas.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — He creates and sustains the whole world by a single portion (aṃśa)

संसारकारकः श्रीमान् निमित्तात्मा प्रतापवान् । एकांशेन जगत्सर्वं सृजत्यवति लीलया ॥ १२ ॥

He is the maker of the world of becoming, glorious, the instrumental cause in essence, majestic; by a single portion (aṃśa) he creates and protects this entire world in play (līlā).

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Three quarters immortal, one quarter with pradhāna

त्रिपादं तस्य देवस्य ह्यमृतं तत्त्वदर्शिनः । विदन्ति तत्प्रमाणं च सप्रधानं तथैकपात् ॥ १३ ॥

Three quarters of that God are immortal; those who see the truth know their measure. And one quarter, together with pradhāna (primordial nature), [is the manifest world].

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — Vāsudeva = manifest-and-unmanifest Viṣṇu; the unmanifest has two śaktis

व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुर्वासुदेवस्तु गीयते । यदव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुः शक्तिद्वयसमन्वितः ॥ १४ ॥

Viṣṇu, whose nature is both manifest and unmanifest, is sung of as Vāsudeva. The Viṣṇu who is of unmanifest nature is endowed with two śaktis;

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — The manifest Viṣṇu has three śaktis; Śrī-śakti (sattva) and Bhū-śakti (rajas)

त्रिशक्तियुक्तो व्यक्तात्मा गदितोऽनन्तशक्तिभृत् । सत्त्वप्रधाना श्रीशक्तिर्भूशक्तिश्च रजोगुणा ॥ १५ ॥

and the one of manifest nature, joined with three śaktis, is declared to be the bearer of infinite power. Śrī-śakti has sattva predominant, and Bhū-śakti has the rajas guṇa;

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — The third śakti Nīlā (tamas); Vāsudeva arises as the fourth

शक्तिस्तृतीया या प्रोक्ता नीलाख्या तामसंज्ञिनी । वासुदेवश्चतुर्थोऽभूच्छ्रीशक्त्या प्रेरितो यदा ॥ १६ ॥

and the third śakti, which is called Nīlā, is designated as tāmasa. When impelled by Śrī-śakti, Vāsudeva came into being as the fourth.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 16

Śloka 17 — The three vyūha forms; Saṃkarṣaṇa carries tamas

सङ्कर्षणश्च प्रद्युम्नोऽनिरुद्ध इति मूर्तिभृक् । तमःशक्त्यान्वितो विष्णुर्देवः सङ्कर्षणाभिधः ॥ १७ ॥

He bears the forms named Saṃkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The god Viṣṇu joined with the tamas-śakti is the one called Saṃkarṣaṇa;

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 17

Śloka 18 — Pradyumna (rajas), Aniruddha (sattva); Mahat and ahaṃkāra arise

प्रद्युम्नो रजसा शक्त्याऽनिरुद्धः सत्त्वया युतः । महान् सङ्कर्षणाज्जातः प्रद्युम्नाद् यदहङ्कृतिः ॥ १८ ॥

Pradyumna is joined with the rajas-śakti, Aniruddha with the sattva[-śakti]. From Saṃkarṣaṇa was born Mahat, and from Pradyumna, ahaṃkāra.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 18

Śloka 19 — Brahmā born from Aniruddha; each form predominates in its own śakti

अनिरुद्धात् स्वयं जातो ब्रह्माहङ्कारमूर्तिभृक् । सर्वेषु सर्वशक्तिश्च स्वशक्त्याधिकया युतः ॥ १९ ॥

From Aniruddha, Brahmā, who bears the form of ahaṃkāra, was himself born. In all of them all the śaktis are present, yet each is joined with a preponderance of his own śakti.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 19

Śloka 20 — Ahaṃkāra becomes threefold — sāttvika, rājasa, tāmasa

अहङ्कारस्त्रिधा भूत्वा सर्वमेतद्विस्तरात् । सात्त्विको राजसश्चैव तामसश्चेदहङ्कृतिः ॥ २० ॥

Ahaṃkāra, having become threefold, [unfolds] all this in extension: ahaṃkāra is sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 20

Śloka 21 — What issues from each kind of ahaṃkāra — devas, indriyas, mahābhūtas

देवा वैकारिकाज्जातास्तैजसादिन्द्रियाणि च । तामसाश्चैव भूतानि खादीनि स्वस्वशक्तिभिः ॥ २१ ॥

From the vaikārika (sāttvika) [ahaṃkāra] the devas were born, and from the taijasa (rājasa) the indriyas; and from the tāmasa, the elements beginning with ether — each with its own respective śaktis.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 21

Śloka 22 — The threefold cosmic function via the three śaktis

श्रीशक्त्या सहितो विष्णुः सदा पाति जगत्त्रयम् । भूशक्त्या सृजते स्रष्टा नीलशक्त्या हरोऽत्ति हि ॥ २२ ॥

Viṣṇu, accompanied by Śrī-śakti, ever protects the three worlds; the Creator (Brahmā) creates by Bhū-śakti; and Hara devours by Nīla-śakti.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 22

Śloka 23 — The Paramātman shines in all living beings

सर्वेषु चैव जीवेषु परमात्मा विराजते । एवं हि तदिदं ब्रह्मन् ! स्थितं हि परमात्मनि ॥ २३ ॥

And in all living beings the Paramātman shines forth. Thus indeed, O brahman, all this stands established in the Paramātman.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 23

Śloka 24 — Two portions in every jīva — jīvāṃśa and paramātmāṃśa, in varying proportion

सर्वेषु चैव जीवेषु स्थितं ह्यंशद्वयं क्वचित् । जीवांशकोऽधिकस्तद्वत् परमात्मांशकः क्वचित् ॥ २४ ॥

In all living beings a pair of portions (aṃśa) abides; in some the jīva-portion is the greater, and likewise in some the Paramātman-portion.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 24

Śloka 25 — Beings in whom the Paramātman-portion predominates

सूर्यादयो ग्रहाः सर्वे ब्रह्मकामद्विषादयः । एते चान्ये च बहवः परमात्मांशकाधिकाः ॥ २५ ॥

All the grahas beginning with the Sun, and Brahmā, the Foe of Kāma (Śiva), and the rest — these and many others have the Paramātman-portion in preponderance.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 25

Śloka 26 — Śaktis with high Paramātman-portion; other devas with high jīva-portion

शक्तयश्च तथैतेषामधिकांशाः श्रियादयः । सशक्तयः सुराश्चान्ये ज्ञेया जीवांशकाधिकाः ॥ २६ ॥

And likewise their śaktis, Śrī and the rest, have the greater portion [of the Paramātman]. But other gods, together with their śaktis, are to be known as having the jīva-portion in preponderance.

BPHS Adhyāya 1, śloka 26