Shloka 22

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

गुणसाम्यं तदव्यक्तं प्रकृतिः परिगीयते / प्रधानं जगतो योनिर्मायातत्त्वमचेतनम्

Transliteration

guṇasāmyaṃ tadavyaktaṃ prakṛtiḥ parigīyate / pradhānaṃ jagato yonirmāyātattvamacetanam

Translation

Jener Zustand des Gleichgewichts der Guṇas heißt das Unmanifestierte (Avyakta). Er wird als Prakṛti gepriesen—als Pradhāna, Schoß des Universums, Prinzip der Māyā, an sich unbewusst.

Word by Word

• गुणसाम्यम्: equilibrium of the guṇas
• गुणसाम्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + साम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गुणानां साम्यम् (equilibrium of guṇas)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परिगीयते: is called/celebrated
• परिगीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-गै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘is sung/celebrated/called’

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna
• प्रधानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• योनिः: source/womb
• योनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मायातत्त्वम्: the principle of māyā
• मायातत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मायायाः तत्त्वम्

• अचेतनम्: insentient
• अचेतनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching the sages (Sāṅkhya-oriented exposition within the Purāṇic Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Pradhana
• Maya
• Gunas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By defining Prakṛti/Pradhāna as acetanā (insentient) and merely the womb of the universe, the verse implicitly distinguishes the conscious principle (Ātman/Puruṣa/Īśvara) as different from and superior to the Unmanifest material cause.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse provides the metaphysical basis used in Kurma Purana’s yoga teaching: discrimination (viveka) between the insentient Prakṛti (guṇa-sāmyāvasthā) and the conscious Self. Such discernment supports inward meditation leading toward detachment from guṇa-born modifications.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

While not naming Śiva or Viṣṇu directly, the teaching aligns with the Purāṇa’s synthesis: the insentient Māyā/Prakṛti is the material principle, whereas the supreme Lord—revered as Hari-Hara/Īśvara in the broader text—stands as the conscious ruler beyond it.