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Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 31

Kapila’s Devotional Sāṅkhya: Sādhu-saṅga, Bhakti-yoga, and Fearlessness in the Supreme Shelter

मैत्रेय उवाच विदित्वार्थं कपिलो मातुरित्थं जातस्‍नेहो यत्र तन्वाभिजात: । तत्त्वाम्नायं यत्प्रवदन्ति सांख्यं प्रोवाच वै भक्तिवितानयोगम् ॥ ३१ ॥

maitreya uvāca viditvārthaṁ kapilo mātur itthaṁ jāta-sneho yatra tanvābhijātaḥ tattvāmnāyaṁ yat pravadanti sāṅkhyaṁ provāca vai bhakti-vitāna-yogam

Śrī Maitreya sprach: Nachdem der Bhagavān Kapila die Worte Seiner Mutter vernommen hatte, erkannte Er ihre Absicht und wurde, da Er aus ihrem eigenen Leib geboren war, von Mitgefühl für sie erfüllt. Daraufhin lehrte Er die durch Paramparā empfangene Sāṅkhya-Tattva, eine Lehre, die Bhakti-sevā und yogische Verwirklichung vereint.

मैत्रेयःMaitreya
मैत्रेयः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
विदित्वाhaving known
विदित्वा:
Kriya (क्रिया/Adverbial action)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)
अर्थम्the meaning/purport
अर्थम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
कपिलःKapila
कपिलः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootकपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
मातुःof (his) mother
मातुः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
इत्थम्thus/in this manner
इत्थम्:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइत्थम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)
जात-स्नेहःwhose affection had arisen
जात-स्नेहः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of Kapila)
TypeAdjective
Rootजात (√जन् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भावेन तत्पुरुषः (one whose affection has arisen)
यत्रwherein/where
यत्र:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where/wherein)
तन्वाby (his) body/person
तन्वा:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootतनू (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)
अभिजातःborn/manifested (as)
अभिजातः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of Kapila)
TypeAdjective
Rootअभि + जन् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तत्त्व-आम्नायम्the tradition/teaching of truth
तत्त्व-आम्नायम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आम्नाय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (doctrine/tradition of truth)
यत्which
यत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun: which)
प्रवदन्तिthey speak/declare
प्रवदन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + वद् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद
सांख्यम्Sāṅkhya (philosophy)
सांख्यम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
TypeNoun
Rootसांख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
प्रोवाचhe expounded
प्रोवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + वच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/पदार्थ-निपात (emphatic particle)
भक्ति-वितान-योगम्the yoga of expansive devotion
भक्ति-वितान-योगम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वितान (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (the yoga which is an expansion/spreading of devotion)
M
Maitreya
K
Kapila
D
Devahuti

FAQs

It states that Kapila taught the authoritative truth of Sāṅkhya while also expounding the yoga that fully expands devotional service (bhakti).

Because he understood his mother Devahuti’s inner purpose and, being naturally affectionate as her son, he revealed truth (Sāṅkhya) together with devotional yoga for her spiritual upliftment.

Study spiritual truth with clarity (Sāṅkhya-like discernment) while practicing devotion—regular prayer, remembrance of the Lord, and service—so knowledge becomes lived realization.