Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 21

Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death

Devanagari script

चत्वार्येवेति तत्रापि तेज आपोऽन्नमात्मन: । जातानि तैरिदं जातं जन्मावयविन: खलु ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

catvāry eveti tatrāpi teja āpo ’nnam ātmanaḥ jātāni tair idaṁ jātaṁ janmāvayavinaḥ khalu

Translation

Manche Philosophen nehmen vier Grundelemente an: Aus dem Selbst (Ātman) gehen Feuer, Wasser und Nahrung/Erde hervor. Sind diese Elemente vorhanden, bringen sie die kosmische Manifestation hervor, in der alle materielle Schöpfung stattfindet.

Synonyms

• catvāri: four (items)
• catvāri: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used substantively

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphasis (निपात)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), sense: also/even

• tejaḥ: fire/energy (tejas)
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• āpaḥ: waters
• āpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āp (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); pluralia tantum

• annam: food
• annam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmanaḥ: of the self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• jātāni: born/produced
• jātāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु) + jāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• taiḥ: by those (elements)
• taiḥ: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• idam: this (world)
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jātam: born/produced
• jātam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु) + jāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• janma-avayavinaḥ: of the embodied being (having parts) of birth; i.e., of the born composite
• janma-avayavinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + avayavin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): janmaṇaḥ avayavinaḥ; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), sense: indeed/surely

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how the body is formed from the elements?

This verse explains that the embodied being and its body arise through the principles of fire (tejas), water (āpaḥ), and food/earth (annam), while the self (ātmā) is distinct and foundational to the experience of embodiment.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11 Chapter 22?

Kṛṣṇa is teaching Uddhava analytical knowledge (Sāṅkhya) to distinguish the self from the body by tracing the body’s origin to material principles, thereby strengthening detachment and steady devotion.

Practical application of understanding fire, water, food, and the self in modern life?

See the body as a product of material conditions (nutrition, fluids, heat/metabolism) while remembering you are the conscious self; this reduces anxiety and possessiveness and supports a more devotional, disciplined life.