Shloka 22

Govardhana-pūjā: Kṛṣṇa Redirects Indra-yajña to Worship of Govardhana, Cows, and Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतव: । रजसोत्पद्यते विश्वमन्योन्यं विविधं जगत् ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ rajasotpadyate viśvam anyonyaṁ vividhaṁ jagat

Translation

The causes of creation, maintenance, and destruction are the three modes of nature—goodness, passion, and ignorance. In particular, passion gives rise to the universe, and through sexual union the world becomes filled with variety.

Synonyms

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (goodness)
• सत्त्वम्: Karta/Pratipādya (प्रथमा/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रजः: rajas (passion)
• रजः: Karta/Pratipādya (प्रथमा/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तमः: tamas (darkness)
• तमः: Karta/Pratipādya (प्रथमा/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतवः: causes of maintenance, creation, and dissolution
• स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतवः: Pratipādya (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/द्वन्द्व-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष (स्थिति-उत्पत्ति-अन्तानां हेतवः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रजसा: by rajas
• रजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• उत्पद्यते: arises; is produced
• उत्पद्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्+पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually interrelated
• अन्योन्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (mutual/reciprocal)

• विविधम्: varied
• विविधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Purport

Anticipating the possible objection that a livelihood based on cows certainly depends on Lord Indra, who supplies rain, Lord Kṛṣṇa here introduces a mechanistic theory of existence known as atheistic Sāṅkhya. The tendency to attribute exclusive causality to the apparently mechanistic functions of nature is an old tendency indeed. Five thousand years ago Lord Kṛṣṇa referred to a doctrine already well known in human society.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas)?

This verse explains that the three modes of nature underlie cosmic functions: sattva supports maintenance, rajas drives creation, and tamas brings dissolution.

Why does Krishna describe creation as arising from rajas (passion)?

Because rajas impels activity and transformation; by that activating force, the universe manifests and becomes diversified through the interaction of beings and elements.

How can I apply the teaching of the three gunas in modern life?

Notice which mode is influencing you—clarity (sattva), restlessness (rajas), or inertia (tamas)—and cultivate sattva through disciplined living and devotion, aiming to rise beyond all three by God-centered consciousness.