Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 31

Guṇa-vibhāga: The Three Modes and the Path Beyond Them

Devanagari script

सर्वे गुणमया भावा: पुरुषाव्यक्तधिष्ठिता: । द‍ृष्टं श्रुतमनुध्यातं बुद्ध्या वा पुरुषर्षभ ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

sarve guṇa-mayā bhāvāḥ puruṣāvyakta-dhiṣṭhitāḥ dṛṣṭaṁ śrutam anudhyātaṁ buddhyā vā puruṣarṣabha

Translation

O best of human beings, all states of material being are related to the interaction of the enjoying soul and material nature. Whether seen, heard of or only conceived within the mind, they are without exception constituted of the modes of nature.

Synonyms

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• गुणमयाः: consisting of the guṇas
• गुणमयाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणमय (प्रातिपदिक: गुण + मय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुणानां मयाः = made of guṇas)

• भावाः: entities/conditions
• भावाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पुरुष-अव्यक्त-धिष्ठिताः: supported by the Puruṣa and the unmanifest
• पुरुष-अव्यक्त-धिष्ठिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धिष्ठित (कृदन्त; धा √धा (धातु) + अधि- + क्त) ; components: पुरुष + अव्यक्त + धिष्ठित
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘supported/established’; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (पुरुषेण अव्यक्तेन धिष्ठिताः)

• दृष्टम्: what is seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (seen)

• श्रुतम्: what is heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (कृदन्त; √श्रु (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (heard)

• अनुध्यातम्: what is contemplated
• अनुध्यातम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुध्यात (कृदन्त; अनु-√ध्यै (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (meditated upon)

• बुद्ध्या: by the intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men
• पुरुषर्षभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ (प्रातिपदिक: पुरुष + ऋषभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पुरुषेषु ऋषभः)

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about everything being influenced by the three gunas?

This verse states that all conditions and experiences—seen, heard, contemplated, or conceived—are constituted of the guṇas and occur within material nature, resting upon the Puruṣa and the unmanifest prakṛti.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11?

In the Uddhava-gītā, Kṛṣṇa teaches Uddhava discrimination between spirit and matter, showing that all mental and sensory objects belong to the guṇa-field so one can seek transcendence through devotion.

Practical application of understanding the gunas in modern life?

Recognize that thoughts, opinions, and sensory impressions are guṇa-driven; then cultivate sāttvika habits and anchor the mind in bhakti (hearing, chanting, remembrance) to gradually rise beyond material conditioning.