[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Epic, Poetry, Drama & Narrative](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit) › [The Mahābhārata and its versions](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata) › [The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) › 12.176.4 # The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 12.176.4 Mahābhārata 12.176.4 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [12.176.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176.4) pṛthivī parvatā meghā mūrtimantaśca ye pare | sarvaṃ tadvāruṇaṃ jñeyamāpastastambhire punaḥ || 4 || > "Bhrigu said, 'The great Manasa (in his form of Brahman) created the diverse kinds of objects by fiat of Will. For the protection then of all creatures, he first created water. Water is the life of all creatures, and it is water which aids their growth. If there be no water, all creatures would perish. The whole universe is pervaded by water. Earth, mountains, clouds, and all things which have form, should all be known as transformations of water. They have all been produced by the solidification of that element.' > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa - [Previous: 12.176.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176.3) - [Next: 12.176.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176.5) - [Up: 12.176](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176) ## Translations (1) - [The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa~en-ganguli.12.183.2) — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, English ## Commentaries (1) - [Bhāratabhāvadīpa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa!nilakantha.12.183.4) — Nīlakaṇṭha Caturdhara 1650, Sanskrit ## Other recensions (2) - [Southern recension](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa*southern.12.181.4) — Sanskrit - [Vulgate (Nīlakaṇṭha's text)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa*vulgate.12.183.4) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.12.176.4) · Pramāṇa