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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya

In this chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa gives instruction how bewilderment of the mind can be dispelled by the science of Sāṅkhya. Herein the Supreme Lord again imparts to Uddhava instruction about the analysis of material nature. By assimilating this knowledge the spirit soul can drive away his confusion based on false dualities.

In the beginning of creation, the seer and seen are one and indistinguishable. This Supreme Absolute Truth, one without a second and inaccessible to words and mind, then separates into two — the seer, which means consciousness or personality, and the seen, which means substance or nature. The material nature, which comprises the three modes of matter, is agitated by the controlling male factor. The mahat-tattva then becomes manifest together with the energies of consciousness and activity. From these come the principle of false ego in its three aspects of goodness, passion and ignorance. From false ego in the mode of ignorance arise fifteen subtle forms of sense perception, followed by the fifteen physical elements. From false ego in the mode of passion come the ten senses, and from false ego in the mode of goodness come the mind and the eleven demigods who preside over the senses. By the conglomeration of all of these elements grows the universal egg, in the midst of which the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the creating Lord of the universe takes up residence in the role of indwelling Supersoul. From the navel of this ultimate creator comes a lotus, upon which Brahmā takes birth. Lord Brahmā, invested with the mode of passion, executes austerities by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and on the strength of these penances he is able to create all the planets of the universe. The region of heaven is meant for the demigods, that of inner space for ghostly spirits and that of the earth for human beings and others. In the region above these three planetary systems are the places of advanced sages, and in the lower worlds are those of the demons, Nāga serpents and so forth. The goals achieved by activities based on the three modes of material nature are all within the three mortal worlds. The destinations of yoga, severe austerity and the renounced order of life are the worlds known as Mahar, Janas, Tapas and Satya. The goal of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, on the other hand, is the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead in His abode, Vaikuṇṭha. This universe of material action and reaction is constituted under the control of time and the three modes of material nature. Moreover, whatever exists in this universe is simply the product of the combination of material nature and her Lord. In the same way that creation proceeds gradually from the one and supremely subtle to the multitudinous and very gross, the process of annihilation proceeds from the grossest to the subtlest manifestation of nature, leaving only the eternal spiritual substance. This ultimate Soul remains situated within Himself, alone and without end. The mind of a person who meditates on these ideas does not become bewildered by material dualities. This science of Sāṅkhya, narrated in alternating sequences of creation and annihilation, serves to cut off all doubts and bondage.

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
अथ ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि साङ्ख्यं पूर्वैर्विनिश्च‍ितम् ।
यद् विज्ञाय पुमान् सद्यो जह्याद् वैकल्पिकं भ्रमम् ॥ १ ॥

Text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
atha te sampravakṣyāmi
sāṅkhyaṁ pūrvair viniścitam
yad vijñāya pumān sadyo
jahyād vaikalpikaṁ bhramam

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; atha — now; te — unto you; sampravakṣyāmi — I shall speak; sāṅkhyam — the knowledge of the evolution of the elements of creation; pūrvaiḥ — by previous authorities; viniścitam — ascertained; yat — which; vijñāya — knowing; pumān — a person; sadyaḥ — immediately; jahyāt — can give up; vaikalpikam — based on false duality; bhramam — the illusion.

Translation

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Now I shall describe to you the science of Sāṅkhya, which has been perfectly established by ancient authorities. By understanding this science a person can immediately give up the illusion of material duality.

Purport

In the previous chapter the Lord explained that one can give up material duality by controlling the mind and fixing it in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This chapter describes the Sāṅkhya system, in which the difference between matter and spirit is elaborately explained. By hearing this knowledge one can easily separate the mind from material contamination and fix it on the spiritual platform in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Sāṅkhya philosophy system mentioned here is that presented by Lord Kapila in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and not the atheistic Sāṅkhya presented later by materialists and Māyāvādīs. The material elements, which emanate from the potency of the Lord, evolve in a progressive sequence. One should not foolishly think that such evolution begins from an original material element without the assistance of the Lord. This speculative theory is generated from the false ego of conditioned life and constitutes gross ignorance, unacceptable to the Personality of Godhead and His followers.

Devanagari

आसीज्ज्ञानमथो अर्थ एकमेवाविकल्पितम् ।
यदा विवेकनिपुणा आदौ कृतयुगेऽयुगे ॥ २ ॥

Text

āsīj jñānam atho artha
ekam evāvikalpitam
yadā viveka-nipuṇā
ādau kṛta-yuge ’yuge

Synonyms

āsīt — there existed; jñānam — the seer; atha u — thus; arthaḥ — the seen; ekam — one; eva — simply; avikalpitam — undifferentiated; yadā — when; viveka — in discrimination; nipuṇāḥ — persons who were expert; ādau — in the beginning; kṛta-yuge — in the age of purity; ayuge — and before that, during the time of annihilation.

Translation

Originally, during the Kṛta-yuga, when all men were very expert in spiritual discrimination, and also previous to that, during the period of annihilation, the seer existed alone, nondifferent from the seen object.

Purport

Kṛta-yuga is the first age, also known as Satya-yuga, in which knowledge, being perfect, is not different from its object. In modern society, knowledge is highly speculative and constantly changing. There is often a vast difference between people’s theoretical ideas and actual reality. In Satya-yuga, however, people are viveka-nipuṇāḥ, or expert in intelligent discrimination, and thus there is no difference between their vision and reality. In Satya-yuga, the population in general is self-realized. Seeing everything as the potency of the Supreme Lord, they do not artificially create duality between themselves and other living entities. This is a further aspect of the oneness of Satya-yuga. At the time of annihilation, everything merges to rest within the Lord, and at that time also there is no difference between the Lord, who becomes the only seer, and the objects of knowledge, which are contained within the Lord. The liberated living entities in the eternal spiritual world are never subject to such merging but remain forever undisturbed in their spiritual forms. Because they are voluntarily one with the Lord in love, their abode is never annihilated.

Devanagari

तन्मायाफलरूपेण केवलं निर्विकल्पितम् ।
वाङ्‍मनोऽगोचरं सत्यं द्विधा समभवद् बृहत् ॥ ३ ॥

Text

tan māyā-phala-rūpeṇa
kevalaṁ nirvikalpitam
vāṅ-mano-’gocaraṁ satyaṁ
dvidhā samabhavad bṛhat

Synonyms

tat — that (Supreme); māyā — of the material nature; phala — and the enjoyer of its manifestations; rūpeṇa — in the two forms; kevalam — one; nirvikalpitam — nondifferentiated; vāk — to speech; manaḥ — and the mind; agocaram — inaccessible; satyam — true; dvidhā — twofold; samabhavat — He became; bṛhat — the Absolute Truth.

Translation

That one Absolute Truth, remaining free from material dualities and inaccessible to ordinary speech and mind, divided Himself into two categories — the material nature and the living entities who are trying to enjoy the manifestations of that nature.

Purport

Both material nature and the living entity are potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Devanagari

तयोरेकतरो ह्यर्थः प्रकृतिः सोभयात्मिका ।
ज्ञानं त्वन्यतमो भावः पुरुषः सोऽभिधीयते ॥ ४ ॥

Text

tayor ekataro hy arthaḥ
prakṛtiḥ sobhayātmikā
jñānaṁ tv anyatamo bhāvaḥ
puruṣaḥ so ’bhidhīyate

Synonyms

tayoḥ — of the two; ekataraḥ — one; hi — indeed; arthaḥ — entity; prakṛtiḥ — nature; — she; ubhaya-ātmikā — consisting of both the subtle causes and their manifest products; jñānam — (who possesses) consciousness; tu — and; anyatamaḥ — the other; bhāvaḥ — entity; puruṣaḥ — the living soul; saḥ — he; abhidhīyate — is called.

Translation

Of these two categories of manifestation, one is material nature, which embodies both the subtle causes and manifest products of matter. The other is the conscious living entity, designated as the enjoyer.

Purport

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, prakṛti here refers to the subtle pradhāna, which later becomes manifest as mahat-tattva.

Devanagari

तमो रजः सत्त्वमिति प्रकृतेरभवन् गुणाः ।
मया प्रक्षोभ्यमाणायाः पुरुषानुमतेन च ॥ ५ ॥

Text

tamo rajaḥ sattvam iti
prakṛter abhavan guṇāḥ
mayā prakṣobhyamāṇāyāḥ
puruṣānumatena ca

Synonyms

tamaḥ — ignorance; rajaḥ — passion; sattvam — goodness; iti — thus; prakṛteḥ — from nature; abhavan — became manifest; guṇāḥ — the modes; mayā — by Me; prakṣobhyamāṇāyāḥ — who was being agitated; puruṣa — of the living entity; anumatena — in order to fulfill the desires; ca — and.

Translation

When material nature was agitated by My glance, the three material modes — goodness, passion and ignorance — became manifest to fulfill the pending desires of the conditioned souls.

Purport

The Lord casts His glance over material nature to remind her that the conditioned souls have not worked out their chain of fruitive activity and mental speculation and that creation is therefore again necessary. The Lord desires that the conditioned souls get the opportunity to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in love of Godhead by understanding the futility of life without the Lord. The modes of nature arise after the glance of the Lord and become inimical to one another, each mode attempting to conquer the other two. There is constant competition between birth, maintenance and annihilation. Although a child desires to take birth, the cruel mother may desire to kill the child through abortion. Although we may desire to kill the weeds in a field, they stubbornly take birth again and again. Similarly, we often desire to maintain our physical status quo, but still deterioration sets in. Thus there is constant competition among the modes of nature, and by their combinations and permutations the living entities try to enjoy innumerable material situations without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The word puruṣānumatena indicates that the Lord sets the stage for such material futility so that the conditioned souls will eventually come back home, back to Godhead.

Devanagari

तेभ्यः समभवत् सूत्रं महान् सूत्रेण संयुतः ।
ततो विकुर्वतो जातो योऽहङ्कारो विमोहनः ॥ ६ ॥

Text

tebhyaḥ samabhavat sūtraṁ
mahān sūtreṇa saṁyutaḥ
tato vikurvato jāto
yo ’haṅkāro vimohanaḥ

Synonyms

tebhyaḥ — from those modes; samabhavat — arose; sūtram — the first transformation of nature, endowed with the potency of activity; mahān — primeval nature endowed with the potency of knowledge; sūtreṇa — with this sūtra-tattva; saṁyutaḥ — conjoined; tataḥ — from the mahat; vikurvataḥ — transforming; jātaḥ — was generated; yaḥ — which; ahaṅkāraḥ — false ego; vimohanaḥ — the cause of bewilderment.

Translation

From these modes arose the primeval sūtra, along with the mahat-tattva. By the transformation of the mahat-tattva was generated the false ego, the cause of the living entities’ bewilderment.

Purport

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, sūtra is the first transformation of material nature that manifests the potency of activity, and it is accompanied by the mahat-tattva, which is endowed with the potency of knowledge. In the material world, one’s real knowledge is covered by fruitive activity and mental speculation. As one’s devotional service to the Lord slackens, these two tendencies grow automatically, just as the diminishing of light automatically brings an increase in darkness.

Devanagari

वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिवृत् । तन्मात्रेन्द्रियमनसां कारणं चिदचिन्मयः ॥ ७ ॥

Text

vaikārikas taijasaś ca
tāmasaś cety ahaṁ tri-vṛt
tan-mātrendriya-manasāṁ
kāraṇaṁ cid-acin-mayaḥ

Synonyms

vaikārikaḥ — in the mode of goodness; taijasaḥ — in the mode of passion; ca — and; tāmasaḥ — in the mode of ignorance; ca — also; iti — thus; aham — false ego; tri-vṛt — in three categories; tat-mātra — of the subtle forms of sense objects; indriya — of the senses; manasām — and of the mind; kāraṇam — the cause; cit-acit — both spirit and matter; mayaḥ — encompassing.

Translation

False ego, which is the cause of physical sensation, the senses and the mind, encompasses both spirit and matter and manifests in three varieties: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.

Purport

The word cid-acin-maya, “encompassing both spirit and matter,” is significant in this regard. The false ego is the illusory combination of the eternal conscious soul and the temporary unconscious body. Because the spirit soul desires to exploit illicitly the creation of God, he is bewildered by the three modes of nature and assumes an illusory identity within the material world. Struggling to enjoy, he becomes more and more entangled in the complexities of illusion and only increases his anxiety. This hopeless situation can be overcome by taking to pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in which the pleasure of the Supreme Lord becomes the only goal of one’s life.

Devanagari

अर्थस्तन्मात्रिकाज्जज्ञे तामसादिन्द्रियाणि च ।
तैजसाद् देवता आसन्नेकादश च वैकृतात् ॥ ८ ॥

Text

arthas tan-mātrikāj jajñe
tāmasād indriyāṇi ca
taijasād devatā āsann
ekādaśa ca vaikṛtāt

Synonyms

arthaḥ — the gross elements; tat-mātrikāt — from the subtle sensations (which themselves are derived from false ego in the mode of goodness); jajñe — became generated; tāmasāt — from false ego in the mode of ignorance; indriyāṇi — the senses; ca — and; taijasāt — from false ego in the mode of passion; devatāḥ — the demigods; āsan — arose; ekādaśa — eleven; ca — and; vaikṛtāt — from false ego in the mode of goodness.

Translation

From false ego in the mode of ignorance came the subtle physical perceptions, from which the gross elements were generated. From false ego in the mode of passion came the senses, and from false ego in the mode of goodness arose the eleven demigods.

Purport

From false ego in the mode of ignorance, sound is generated along with the sense of hearing to receive it and the sky as its medium. Next, the sensation of touch, air and the sense of touch are generated, and thus from subtle to gross all of the elements and their perceptions are generated. The senses, because they are busily engaged in activity, are created from false ego in the mode of passion. From false ego in goodness come eleven demigods: the deities of the directions, the wind and the sun, Varuṇa, the Aśvinī deities, Agni, Indra, Upendra, Mitra, Brahmā and Candra.

Devanagari

मया सञ्चोदिता भावाः सर्वे संहत्यकारिणः ।
अण्डमुत्पादयामासुर्ममायतनमुत्तमम् ॥ ९ ॥

Text

mayā sañcoditā bhāvāḥ
sarve saṁhatya-kāriṇaḥ
aṇḍam utpādayām āsur
mamāyatanam uttamam

Synonyms

mayā — by Me; sañcoditāḥ — impelled; bhāvāḥ — elements; sarve — all; saṁhatya — by amalgamation; kāriṇaḥ — functioning; aṇḍam — the egg of the universe; utpādayām āsuḥ — they brought into being; mama — My; āyatanam — residence; uttamam — superior.

Translation

Impelled by Me, all these elements combined to function in an orderly fashion and together gave birth to the universal egg, which is My excellent place of residence.

Devanagari

तस्मिन्नहं समभवमण्डे सलिलसंस्थितौ ।
मम नाभ्यामभूत् पद्मं विश्वाख्यं तत्र चात्मभूः ॥ १० ॥

Text

tasminn ahaṁ samabhavam
aṇḍe salila-saṁsthitau
mama nābhyām abhūt padmaṁ
viśvākhyaṁ tatra cātma-bhūḥ

Synonyms

tasmin — within that; aham — I; samabhavam — appeared; aṇḍe — in the egg of the universe; salila — in the water of the Causal Ocean; saṁsthitau — which was situated; mama — My; nābhyām — from the navel; abhūt — arose; padmam — a lotus; viśva-ākhyam — known as universal; tatra — in that; ca — and; ātma-bhūḥ — self-born Brahmā.

Translation

I Myself appeared within that egg, which was floating on the causal water, and from My navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of self-born Brahmā.

Purport

The Supreme Lord here describes His appearance in His transcendental pastime form of Śrī Nārāyaṇa. Lord Nārāyaṇa enters within the universe but does not give up His purely transcendental body of knowledge and bliss. Lord Brahmā, however, born from the Lord’s navel lotus, has a material body. Although Lord Brahmā is the most powerful mystic, his body, which pervades all material existence, is material, whereas the body of the Supreme Lord Hari, Nārāyaṇa, is always transcendental.

Devanagari

सोऽसृजत्तपसा युक्तो रजसा मदनुग्रहात् ।
लोकान् सपालान् विश्वात्मा भूर्भुवः स्वरिति त्रिधा ॥ ११ ॥

Text

so ’sṛjat tapasā yukto
rajasā mad-anugrahāt
lokān sa-pālān viśvātmā
bhūr bhuvaḥ svar iti tridhā

Synonyms

saḥ — he, Brahmā; asṛjat — created; tapasā — by his austerity; yuktaḥ — endowed; rajasā — with the potency of the mode of passion; mat — My; anugrahāt — because of the mercy; lokān — the different planets; sa-pālān — along with their presiding demigods; viśva — of the universe; ātmā — the soul; bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ iti — called Bhūr, Bhuvar and Svar; tridhā — three divisions.

Translation

Lord Brahmā, the soul of the universe, being endowed with the mode of passion, performed great austerities by My mercy and thus created the three planetary divisions, called Bhūr, Bhuvar and Svar, along with their presiding deities.

Devanagari

देवानामोक आसीत् स्वर्भूतानां च भुवः पदम् ।
मर्त्यादीनां च भूर्लोकः सिद्धानां त्रितयात् परम् ॥ १२ ॥

Text

devānām oka āsīt svar
bhūtānāṁ ca bhuvaḥ padam
martyādīnāṁ ca bhūr lokaḥ
siddhānāṁ tritayāt param

Synonyms

devānām — of the demigods; okaḥ — the home; āsīt — became; svaḥ — heaven; bhūtānām — of ghostly spirits; ca — and; bhuvaḥ — Bhuvar; padam — the place; martya-ādīnām — of ordinary mortal humans and other beings; ca — and; bhūḥ lokaḥ — the planet called Bhūr; siddhānām — (the place) of those striving for liberation; tritayāt — these three divisions; param — beyond.

Translation

Heaven was established as the residence of the demigods, Bhuvarloka as that of the ghostly spirits, and the earth system as the place of human beings and other mortal creatures. Those mystics who strive for liberation are promoted beyond these three divisions.

Purport

Planets such as Indraloka and Candraloka are meant for the heavenly enjoyment of the most pious fruitive workers. The highest four planets, however, Satyaloka, Maharloka, Janoloka and Tapoloka, are meant for those who are most perfectly endeavoring for liberation. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so inconceivably merciful that He is promoting the most fallen victims of Kali-yuga beyond these four planets and even beyond Vaikuṇṭha, to the supreme planet of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual sky, called Goloka Vṛndāvana. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains that heaven is the residence of the demigods, the earth is the residence of the human beings, and in between is a temporary residence for both classes of beings.

Devanagari

अधोऽसुराणां नागानां भूमेरोकोऽसृजत् प्रभुः ।
त्रिलोक्यां गतयः सर्वाः कर्मणां त्रिगुणात्मनाम् ॥ १३ ॥

Text

adho ’surāṇāṁ nāgānāṁ
bhūmer oko ’sṛjat prabhuḥ
tri-lokyāṁ gatayaḥ sarvāḥ
karmaṇāṁ tri-guṇātmanām

Synonyms

adhaḥ — below; asurāṇām — of the demons; nāgānām — of the celestial snakes; bhūmeḥ — from the earth; okaḥ — the residence; asṛjat — created; prabhuḥ — Lord Brahmā; tri-lokyām — of the three worlds; gatayaḥ — the destinations; sarvāḥ — all; karmaṇām — of fruitive activities; tri-guṇa-ātmanām — partaking of the three modes.

Translation

Lord Brahmā created the region below the earth for the demons and the Nāga snakes. In this way the destinations of the three worlds were arranged as the corresponding reactions for different kinds of work performed within the three modes of nature.

Devanagari

योगस्य तपसश्चैव न्यासस्य गतयोऽमलाः ।
महर्जनस्तपः सत्यं भक्तियोगस्य मद्गतिः ॥ १४ ॥

Text

yogasya tapasaś caiva
nyāsasya gatayo ’malāḥ
mahar janas tapaḥ satyaṁ
bhakti-yogasya mad-gatiḥ

Synonyms

yogasya — of mystic yoga; tapasaḥ — of great austerity; ca — and; eva — certainly; nyāsasya — of the renounced order of life; gatayaḥ — the destinations; amalāḥ — spotless; mahaḥ — Mahar; janaḥ — Janas; tapaḥ — Tapas; satyam — Satya; bhakti-yogasya — of devotional service; mat — My; gatiḥ — destination.

Translation

By mystic yoga, great austerities and the renounced order of life, the pure destinations of Maharloka, Janoloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka are attained. But by devotional yoga, one achieves My transcendental abode.

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains that the word tapasaḥ in this verse refers to austerities performed by brahmacārīs and vānaprasthas. A brahmacārī who practices celibacy perfectly in some particular stage of his life achieves Maharloka, and one who perfectly practices lifelong celibacy achieves Janoloka. By perfect execution of vānaprastha one may achieve Tapoloka, and one in the renounced order of life goes to Satyaloka. These different destinations certainly depend on one’s seriousness in the yoga system. In the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam, Lord Brahmā explains to the demigods, “The inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha travel in their airplanes made of lapis lazuli, emeralds and gold. Although crowded by their consorts, who have large hips and beautiful smiling faces, they cannot be stimulated to passion by their mirth and beautiful charms.” (Bhāg. 3.15.20) Thus in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God, the inhabitants have absolutely no desire for personal satisfaction, since they are completely satisfied in love of Godhead. Because they only think of the Lord’s pleasure, there is no possibility of cheating, anxiety, lust, disappointment, and so on. As described in Bhagavad-gītā (18.62):

tam eva śaraṇaṁ gaccha
sarva-bhāvena bhārata
tat-prasādāt parāṁ śāntiṁ
sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śāśvatam

“O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.”

Devanagari

मया कालात्मना धात्रा कर्मयुक्तमिदं जगत् ।
गुणप्रवाह एतस्मिन्नुन्मज्जति निमज्जति ॥ १५ ॥

Text

mayā kālātmanā dhātrā
karma-yuktam idaṁ jagat
guṇa-pravāha etasminn
unmajjati nimajjati

Synonyms

mayā — by Me; kāla-ātmanā — who contains the energy of time; dhātrā — the creator; karma-yuktam — full of fruitive activities; idam — this; jagat — world; guṇa-pravāhe — in the mighty current of the modes; etasmin — in this; unmajjati — one rises up; nimajjati — one drowns.

Translation

All results of fruitive work have been arranged within this world by Me, the supreme creator acting as the force of time. Thus one sometimes rises up toward the surface of this mighty river of the modes of nature and sometimes again submerges.

Purport

Unmajjati refers to one’s promotion to the higher planetary systems, as mentioned in previous verses, and nimajjati refers to being submerged in a miserable condition of life by impious activities. In both cases one is drowning within the mighty river of material existence, which carries one far away from one’s real home in the kingdom of God.

Devanagari

अणुर्बृहत् कृशः स्थूलो यो यो भावः प्रसिध्यति ।
सर्वोऽप्युभयसंयुक्तः प्रकृत्या पुरुषेण च ॥ १६ ॥

Text

aṇur bṛhat kṛśaḥ sthūlo
yo yo bhāvaḥ prasidhyati
sarvo ’py ubhaya-saṁyuktaḥ
prakṛtyā puruṣeṇa ca

Synonyms

aṇuḥ — small; bṛhat — great; kṛśaḥ — thin; sthūlaḥ — stout; yaḥ yaḥ — whatever; bhāvaḥ — manifestation; prasidhyati — is established; sarvaḥ — all; api — indeed; ubhaya — by both; saṁyuktaḥ — conjoined; prakṛtyā — by nature; puruṣeṇa — by the enjoying spirit soul; ca — and.

Translation

Whatever features visibly exist within this world — small or great, thin or stout — certainly contain both the material nature and its enjoyer, the spirit soul.

Devanagari

यस्तु यस्यादिरन्तश्च स वै मध्यं च तस्य सन् ।
विकारो व्यवहारार्थो यथा तैजसपार्थिवाः ॥ १७ ॥

Text

yas tu yasyādir antaś ca
sa vai madhyaṁ ca tasya san
vikāro vyavahārārtho
yathā taijasa-pārthivāḥ

Synonyms

yaḥ — which (cause); tu — and; yasya — of which (product); ādiḥ — the beginning; antaḥ — the end; ca — and; saḥ — that; vai — indeed; madhyam — the middle; ca — and; tasya — of that product; san — being (real); vikāraḥ — the transformation; vyavahāra-arthaḥ — for ordinary purposes; yathā — as; taijasa — things produced from gold (which is itself derived from fire); pārthivāḥ — and things produced from earth.

Translation

Gold and earth are originally existing as ingredients. From gold one may fashion golden ornaments such as bracelets and earrings, and from earth one may fashion clay pots and saucers. The original ingredients gold and earth exist before the products made from them, and when the products are eventually destroyed, the original ingredients, gold and earth, will remain. Thus, since the ingredients are present in the beginning and at the end, they must also be present in the middle phase, taking the form of a particular product to which we assign for convenience a particular name, such as bracelet, earring, pot or saucer. We can therefore understand that since the ingredient cause exists before the creation of a product and after the product’s destruction, the same ingredient cause must be present during the manifest phase, supporting the product as the basis of its reality.

Purport

The Lord here explains that the original cause is certainly present in its effect, citing the example of gold and clay functioning as the causal ingredients of many different products in which gold and clay continue to be present. For our convenience, we assign different names to temporary products, although their essential nature continues to be that of the ingredient, and not of the temporary product.

Devanagari

यदुपादाय पूर्वस्तु भावो विकुरुतेऽपरम् ।
आदिरन्तो यदा यस्य तत् सत्यमभिधीयते ॥ १८ ॥

Text

yad upādāya pūrvas tu
bhāvo vikurute ’param
ādir anto yadā yasya
tat satyam abhidhīyate

Synonyms

yat — which (form); upādāya — accepting as the ingredient cause; pūrvaḥ — the previous cause (such as the mahat-tattva); tu — and; bhāvaḥ — thing; vikurute — produces as transformation; aparam — the second thing (such as the element ahaṅkāra); ādiḥ — the beginning; antaḥ — the end; yadā — when; yasya — of which (product); tat — that (cause); satyam — real; abhidhīyate — is called.

Translation

A material object, itself composed of an essential ingredient, creates another material object through transformation. Thus one created object becomes the cause and basis of another created object. A particular thing may thus be called real in that it possesses the basic nature of another object that constitutes its origin and final state.

Purport

One may understand the purport of this verse through the simple analogy of a clay pot. A clay pot is formed from a lump of clay, which is itself prepared from the earth. In this case earth is the original ingredient forming the clay lump, and the clay lump is in a sense the original cause of the pot. When the pot is destroyed, it will again assume the designation clay and ultimately merge back into the earth, its original cause. In relation to the clay pot, clay is the beginning and final state; thus the pot is called real, for it possesses the essential characteristics of clay, which exists before and after the existence of the functioning instrument known as the pot. Similarly, earth exists before and after the clay, and thus clay may be considered real because it possesses the essential characteristics of earth, which exists before and after the existence of the clay. Similarly, earth and other elements are created from the mahat-tattva, which exists before and after the existence of the elements, which may be considered real because they possess the essential characteristics of the mahat-tattva. The mahat-tattva is ultimately the creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, who exists after all is annihilated. The Absolute Truth is the Supreme Lord Himself, who step by step gives meaning and character to all that exists.

Devanagari

प्रकृतिर्यस्योपादानमाधारः पुरुषः परः ।
सतोऽभिव्यञ्जकः कालो ब्रह्म तत्‍त्रितयं त्वहम् ॥ १९ ॥

Text

prakṛtir yasyopādānam
ādhāraḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ
sato ’bhivyañjakaḥ kālo
brahma tat tritayaṁ tv aham

Synonyms

prakṛtiḥ — material nature; yasya — of which (produced manifestation of the universe); upādānam — the ingredient cause; ādhāraḥ — the foundation; puruṣaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; paraḥ — Supreme; sataḥ — of the real (nature); abhivyañjakaḥ — the agitating agent; kālaḥ — time; brahma — the Absolute Truth; tat — this; tritayam — group of three; tu — but; aham — I.

Translation

The material universe may be considered real, having nature as its original ingredient and final state. Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu is the resting place of nature, which becomes manifest by the power of time. Thus nature, the almighty Viṣṇu and time are not different from Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Purport

Material nature is the energy of the Lord, Mahā-Viṣṇu is His plenary portion, and time represents the Lord’s activity. In this way, time and nature are always subservient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who creates, maintains and annihilates all that exists through the agency of His potencies and plenary portions. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth because He contains all existence within Himself.

Devanagari

सर्गः प्रवर्तते तावत् पौर्वापर्येण नित्यशः ।
महान् गुणविसर्गार्थः स्थित्यन्तो यावदीक्षणम् ॥ २० ॥

Text

sargaḥ pravartate tāvat
paurvāparyeṇa nityaśaḥ
mahān guṇa-visargārthaḥ
sthity-anto yāvad īkṣaṇam

Synonyms

sargaḥ — the creation; pravartate — continues to exist; tāvat — to that extent; paurva-aparyeṇa — in the form of parents and children; nityaśaḥ — perpetually; mahān — bountiful; guṇa-visarga — of the variegated manifestation of the material modes; arthaḥ — for the purpose; sthiti-antaḥ — until the end of its maintenance; yāvat — as long as; īkṣaṇam — the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Translation

As long as the Supreme Personality of Godhead continues to glance upon nature, the material world continues to exist, perpetually manifesting through procreation the great and variegated flow of universal creation.

Purport

Although the mahat-tattva, impelled by the force of time, is the ingredient cause of this world, it is clearly explained here that the Supreme Lord is personally the only ultimate cause of all that exists. Time and nature are powerless to act without the glance of the Personality of Godhead. He creates unlimited material variety for the sense gratification of the conditioned souls, who try to enjoy life as the children of particular parents and as the parents of particular children, throughout the 8,400,000 species of life.

Devanagari

विराण्मयासाद्यमानो लोककल्पविकल्पकः ।
पञ्चत्वाय विशेषाय कल्पते भुवनैः सह ॥ २१ ॥

Text

virāṇ mayāsādyamāno
loka-kalpa-vikalpakaḥ
pañcatvāya viśeṣāya
kalpate bhuvanaiḥ saha

Synonyms

virāṭ — the universal form; mayā — by Me; āsādyamānaḥ — being pervaded; loka — of the planets; kalpa — of repeated creation, maintenance and destruction; vikalpakaḥ — manifesting the variety; pañcatvāya — the elemental manifestation of creation of the five elements; viśeṣāya — in varieties; kalpate — is capable of displaying; bhuvanaiḥ — with the different planets; saha — being endowed.

Translation

I am the basis of the universal form, which displays endless variety through the repeated creation, maintenance and destruction of the planetary systems. Originally containing within itself all planets in their dormant state, My universal form manifests the varieties of created existence by arranging the coordinated combination of the five elements.

Purport

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word mayā refers to the Lord in His form as eternal time.

Devanagari

अन्ने प्रलीयते मर्त्यमन्नं धानासु लीयते । धाना भूमौ प्रलीयन्ते भूमिर्गन्धे प्रलीयते ॥ २२ ॥
अप्सु प्रलीयते गन्ध आपश्च स्वगुणे रसे । लीयते ज्योतिषि रसो ज्योती रूपे प्रलीयते ॥ २३ ॥
रूपं वायौ स च स्पर्शे लीयते सोऽपि चाम्बरे । अम्बरं शब्दतन्मात्र इन्द्रियाणि स्वयोनिषु ॥ २४ ॥
योनिर्वैकारिके सौम्य लीयते मनसीश्व‍रे । शब्दो भूतादिमप्येति भूतादिर्महति प्रभुः ॥ २५ ॥
स लीयते महान् स्वेषु गुणेषु गुणवत्तमः । तेऽव्यक्ते सम्प्रलीयन्ते तत् काले लीयतेऽव्यये ॥ २६ ॥
कालो मायामये जीवे जीव आत्मनि मय्यजे । आत्मा केवल आत्मस्थो विकल्पापायलक्षणः ॥ २७ ॥

Text

anne pralīyate martyam
annaṁ dhānāsu līyate
dhānā bhūmau pralīyante
bhūmir gandhe pralīyate
apsu pralīyate gandha
āpaś ca sva-guṇe rase
līyate jyotiṣi raso
jyotī rūpe pralīyate
rūpaṁ vāyau sa ca sparśe
līyate so ’pi cāmbare
ambaraṁ śabda-tan-mātra
indriyāṇi sva-yoniṣu
yonir vaikārike saumya
līyate manasīśvare
śabdo bhūtādim apyeti
bhūtādir mahati prabhuḥ
sa līyate mahān sveṣu
guṇesu guṇa-vattamaḥ
te ’vyakte sampralīyante
tat kāle līyate ’vyaye
kālo māyā-maye jīve
jīva ātmani mayy aje
ātmā kevala ātma-stho
vikalpāpāya-lakṣaṇaḥ

Synonyms

anne — in food; pralīyate — becomes merged; martyam — the mortal body; annam — food; dhānāsu — within the grains; līyate — becomes merged; dhānāḥ — the grains; bhūmau — in the earth; pralīyante — become merged; bhūmiḥ — the earth; gandhe — within fragrance; pralīyate — becomes merged; apsu — in water; pralīyate — becomes merged; gandhaḥ — fragrance; āpaḥ — water; ca — and; sva-guṇe — within its own quality; rase — taste; līyate — becomes merged; jyotiṣi — within fire; rasaḥ — taste; jyotiḥ — fire; rūpe — within form; pralīyate — becomes merged; rūpam — form; vāyau — in air; saḥ — it; ca — and; sparśe — in touch; līyate — becomes merged; saḥ — it; api — also; ca — and; ambare — in ether; ambaram — ether; śabda — in sound; tat-mātre — its corresponding subtle sensation; indriyāṇi — the senses; sva-yoniṣu — in their sources, the demigods; yoniḥ — the demigods; vaikārike — in false ego in the mode of goodness; saumya — My dear Uddhava; līyate — become merged; manasi — in the mind; īśvare — which is the controller; śabdaḥ — sound; bhūta-ādim — in the original false ego; apyeti — becomes merged; bhūta-ādiḥ — false ego; mahati — in the total material nature; prabhuḥ — powerful; saḥ — that; līyate — becomes merged; mahān — the total material nature; sveṣu — in its own; guṇeṣu — three modes; guṇa-vat-tamaḥ — being the ultimate abode of these modes; te — they; avyakte — in the unmanifest form of nature; sampralīyante — become completely merged; tat — that; kāle — in time; līyate — become merged; avyaye — in the infallible; kālaḥ — time; māyā-maye — who is full of transcendental knowledge; jīve — in the Supreme Lord, who activates all living beings; jīvaḥ — that Lord; ātmani — in the Supreme Self; mayi — in Me; aje — the unborn; ātmā — the original Self; kevalaḥ — alone; ātma-sthaḥ — self-situated; vikalpa — by creation; apāya — and annihilation; lakṣaṇaḥ — characterized.

Translation

At the time of annihilation, the mortal body of the living being becomes merged into food. Food merges into the grains, and the grains merge back into the earth. The earth merges into its subtle sensation, fragrance. Fragrance merges into water, and water further merges into its own quality, taste. That taste merges into fire, which merges into form. Form merges into touch, and touch merges into ether. Ether finally merges into the sensation of sound. The senses all merge into their own origins, the presiding demigods, and they, O gentle Uddhava, merge into the controlling mind, which itself merges into false ego in the mode of goodness. Sound becomes one with false ego in the mode of ignorance, and all-powerful false ego, the first of all the physical elements, merges into the total nature. The total material nature, the primary repository of the three basic modes, dissolves into the modes. These modes of nature then merge into the unmanifest form of nature, and that unmanifest form merges into time. Time merges into the Supreme Lord, present in the form of the omniscient Mahā-puruṣa, the original activator of all living beings. That origin of all life merges into Me, the unborn Supreme Soul, who remains alone, established within Himself. It is from Him that all creation and annihilation are manifested.

Purport

The annihilation of the material world is the reversal of the process of creation, and ultimately everything is merged to rest within the Supreme Lord, who remains full in His absolute position.

Devanagari

एवमन्वीक्षमाणस्य कथं वैकल्पिको भ्रमः । मनसो हृदि तिष्ठेत व्योम्नीवार्कोदये तमः ॥ २८ ॥

Text

evam anvīkṣamāṇasya
kathaṁ vaikalpiko bhramaḥ
manaso hṛdi tiṣṭheta
vyomnīvārkodaye tamaḥ

Synonyms

evam — in this way; anvīkṣamāṇasya — of one who is carefully examining; katham — how; vaikalpikaḥ — based on duality; bhramaḥ — illusion; manasaḥ — of his mind; hṛdi — in the heart; tiṣṭheta — can remain; vyomni — in the sky; iva — just as; arka — of the sun; udaye — upon the rising; tamaḥ — darkness.

Translation

Just as the rising sun removes the darkness of the sky, similarly, this scientific knowledge of cosmic annihilation removes all illusory duality from the mind of a serious student. Even if illusion somehow enters his heart, it cannot remain there.

Purport

Just as the brilliant sun removes all darkness from the sky, a clear understanding of the knowledge spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava removes all ignorance concocted by the material mind. One will then no longer accept the material body as the self. Even if such illusion temporarily manifests within one’s consciousness, it will be driven away by the resurgence of one’s spiritual knowledge.

Devanagari

एष साङ्ख्यविधिः प्रोक्तः संशयग्रन्थिभेदनः ।
प्रतिलोमानुलोमाभ्यां परावरद‍ृशा मया ॥ २९ ॥

Text

eṣa sāṅkhya-vidhiḥ proktaḥ
saṁśaya-granthi-bhedanaḥ
pratilomānulomābhyāṁ
parāvara-dṛśā mayā

Synonyms

eṣaḥ — this; sāṅkhya-vidhiḥ — method of Sāṅkhya (analytic philosophy); proktaḥ — spoken; saṁśaya — of doubts; granthi — the bondage; bhedanaḥ — which breaks; pratiloma-anulomābhyām — in both direct and reverse order; para — the situation of the spiritual world; avara — and the inferior situation of the material world; dṛśā — by Him who sees perfectly; mayā — by Me.

Translation

Thus I, the perfect seer of everything material and spiritual, have spoken this knowledge of Sāṅkhya, which destroys the illusion of doubt by scientific analysis of creation and annihilation.

Purport

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa has explained that the material mind accepts and rejects many different concepts of life, generating innumerable false arguments about the actual process of perfection. But a person who takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can see everything with clear intelligence. One who understands how the Supreme Lord creates and annihilates can be liberated from material bondage and devote himself to the eternal service of the Supreme Lord.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya.”