Muni's Playसृष्टिसूत्रम् (The Aphorisms of Creation)
Sutra 1
Sanskrit Text
एकः प्राणशरीर आत्माऽग्रे सुषुप्तेरुत्थित ऐक्षत ॥
Translation
In the beginning, the one Self, whose body is Prāṇa (vital energy), having arisen from deep sleep, willed (beheld).
Sutra 2
Sanskrit Text
सा प्रथमेक्षाऽनन्तो देशः ॥
Translation
That first vision/will is Infinite Space (Deśa).
Sutra 3
Sanskrit Text
प्रकृतिरेव न विकृतिः ॥
Translation
It is the original source (Prakṛti) alone, not a modification (Vikṛti).
Sutra 4
Sanskrit Text
शुद्धादाकाशान्नातिरिच्यते ॥
Translation
It is not different from Pure Ākāśa (Ether/Space).
Sutra 5
Sanskrit Text
अम्बिका विश्वजन्मक्षेत्रत्वात् ॥
Translation
It is Ambikā (the Mother), because it is the field/womb for the birth of the Universe (Viśva).
Sutra 6
Sanskrit Text
आप्रलयं निर्विरामानन्तरेक्षाधारा कालः ॥
Translation
Until the final dissolution, the unbroken and continuous stream of that (primordial) vision is Time (Kāla).
Sutra 7
Sanskrit Text
प्रकृतिरेव न विकृतिः ॥
Translation
It is the source alone, not a modification.
Sutra 8
Sanskrit Text
तपोध्यानाव्यतिरेकात् ॥
Translation
Because it is non-different from Tapas (creative heat/power) and Dhyāna (meditation).
Sutra 9
Sanskrit Text
मातरिश्वा प्राणानन्यत्वात् ॥
Translation
(Time/Flow) is Mātariśvā (the Cosmic Breath), because of its non-difference from Prāṇa.
Sutra 10
Sanskrit Text
ईक्षते ध्यायति प्राणितीति न पृथक्क्रियाः समष्टौ ॥
Translation
In the Macrocosm (Totality), “seeing,” “meditating,” and “breathing” are not separate activities.
Sutra 11
Sanskrit Text
व्यष्टौ च स्थितप्रज्ञदशायाम् ॥
Translation
And so it is in the individual (Vyaṣṭi), in the state of one with Steady Wisdom (Sthitaprajña).
Sutra 12
Sanskrit Text
अखण्डधारात्वान्न नाना ॥
Translation
Because [Time] is an unbroken stream, it is not many (it is one).
Sutra 13
Sanskrit Text
कालपाकजं द्रव्यं तेजो गूढव्यापकविद्युद्रूपम् ॥
Translation
The substance Tejas (Fire/Radiance), which is in the form of hidden, all-pervading electricity, is born of the ripening of Time.
Sutra 14
Sanskrit Text
प्रकृतिश्च विकृतिश्च ॥
Translation
It is both a cause (Prakṛti) and an effect (Vikṛti).
Sutra 15
Sanskrit Text
तेजःपाकजं द्रव्यमापो गूढव्यापकरसरूपाः ॥
Translation
The substance Āpas (Water), which is in the form of a hidden, all-pervading essence (Rasa), is born of the ripening of Fire.
Sutra 16
Sanskrit Text
प्रकृतिश्च विकृतिश्च ॥
Translation
It is both a cause and an effect.
Sutra 17
Sanskrit Text
अप्पाकजं द्रव्यमन्नं गूढव्यापकपृथिवीरूपम् ॥
Translation
The substance Annam (Matter/Food), which is in the form of hidden, all-pervading Earth (Pṛthivī), is born of the ripening of Water.
Sutra 18
Sanskrit Text
प्रकृतिश्च विकृतिश्च ॥
Translation
It is both a cause and an effect.
Sutra 19
Sanskrit Text
एषा प्रथमा सृष्टिः ॥
Translation
This is the Primary Creation.
Sutra 20
Sanskrit Text
अथ तेजोऽबन्नानां पाकवशादविभाज्यः संश्लेषः ॥
Translation
Now, through the process of ripening, there occurs an inseparable fusion of Fire, Water, and Earth.
Sutra 21
Sanskrit Text
इयमेव त्रिगुणा प्रवृत्तिर्बादरायणस्य ॥
Translation
This very (fusion) is the “Triple Manifestation” (or Three Gunas) according to Bādarāyaṇa (Vyasa).
Sutra 22
Sanskrit Text
सर्वस्य दृश्यस्य मूलसामग्री ॥
Translation
This is the fundamental material for the entire visible universe.
Sutra 23
Sanskrit Text
आत्मा तदन्तरोऽभूत् ॥
Translation
The Self (Atman) came to dwell within that (material).
Sutra 24
Sanskrit Text
तमिन्द्रमाहुः प्राञ्चः ॥
Translation
The ancients call Him Indra.
Sutra 25
Sanskrit Text
ईश्वरं नव्याः ॥
Translation
The moderns call Him Īśvara.
Sutra 26
Sanskrit Text
द्वितीया सृष्टिर्रेषा ॥
Translation
This is the second creation.
Sutra 27
Sanskrit Text
त्रिगुणायाः प्रकृतेः पाकवशादण्डानामुद्भवः ॥
Translation
Through the ripening of nature (Prakṛti) composed of the three qualities (Guṇas), the (cosmic) eggs (Aṇḍas) arise.
Sutra 28
Sanskrit Text
आत्मा तेषामन्तरोऽभूत् ॥
Translation
The Self came to dwell within them.
Sutra 29
Sanskrit Text
ते देवा उच्यन्ते ॥
Translation
They are called the Gods (Devas).
Sutra 30
Sanskrit Text
अण्डेषु पाकवशात् पिण्डानामुद्भवः ॥
Translation
Through the ripening within those (cosmic) eggs, individual bodies (Piṇḍas) arise.
Sutra 31
Sanskrit Text
आत्मा तेषामन्तरोऽभूत् ॥
Translation
The Self came to dwell within them.
Sutra 32
Sanskrit Text
ताः प्रजा उच्यन्ते ॥
Translation
They are called the creatures (Prajās).
Sutra 33
Sanskrit Text
इयं तृतीया व्यक्तजगत्सृष्टिः ॥
Translation
This is the third creation, the creation of the manifest world.