cakÿpe kān prajāpatīn

cakÿpe kān prajāpatīn

sargāṁś caivānusargāṁś ca

manūn manvantarādhipān

Please describe all that Brahmā created: Prajāpatis, the various types of creation and sub-creations, and the Manus, who are lords of the Manvantara periods.

Having a similar mind to Parīkṣit, Vidura asks questions on the same subjects as Parīkṣit until the end of the chapter. Prajāpatīnām patiḥ is Brahmā. There are ten divisions of creation (sargān). Anusargān means subdivisions of those divisions.

 

|| 3.7.26||

upary adhaś ca ye lokā

bhūmer mitrātmajāsate

teṣāṁ saṁsthāṁ pramāṇaṁ ca

bhūr-lokasya ca varṇaya

O Maitreya! Please describe the planets above and below the earth, their appearance, dimensions, and also describe the earth.

Mitrātmaja is the son of Mitrā, Maitreya. Saṁsthām means appearance.

|| 3.7.27 ||

tiryaṅ-mānuṣa-devānāṁ

sarīsṛpa-patattriṇām

vada naḥ sarga-saṁvyūhaṁ

gārbha-sveda-dvijodbhidām

Please describe the devatās, humans, animals, reptiles, birds and creatures born from wombs, perspiration, eggs and seeds, and the distribution of these creatures.

Saṁvyūham means distribution. Gārbha-ja means born from wombs, such as humans. Those born from perspiration are worms and stinging insects etc. Those born from eggs (dvi-ja) are birds. Those that germinate (udbhidām) are trees and shrubs.

|| 3.7.28 ||

guṇāvatārair viśvasya

sarga-sthity-apyayāśrayam

sṛjataḥ śrīnivāsasya

vyācakṣvodāra-vikramam

Please describe the exploits of the lord of Lakṣmī, who has created the authorities for creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe through the guṇāvatāras.

Viṣṇu has created the sanction for creation, maintenance and destruction.

|| 3.7.29 ||

varṇāśrama-vibhāgāṁś ca