Shloka 10
Sāṅkhya: Categories of the Absolute Truth and the Unfolding of Creation
Tattva-vicāra
श्रीभगवानुवाच यत्तत्त्रिगुणमव्यक्तं नित्यं सदसदात्मकम् । प्रधानं प्रकृतिं प्राहुरविशेषं विशेषवत् ॥ १० ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca yat tat tri-guṇam avyaktaṁ nityaṁ sad-asad-ātmakam pradhānaṁ prakṛtiṁ prāhur aviśeṣaṁ viśeṣavat
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The eternal, unmanifest combination of the three modes, having the nature of both being and nonbeing, is called pradhāna. When it is in the manifest stage, it is called prakṛti.
The Lord points out material nature in its subtle stage, which is called pradhāna, and He analyzes this pradhāna. The explanation of pradhāna and prakṛti is that pradhāna is the subtle, undifferentiated sum total of all material elements. Although they are undifferentiated, one can understand that the total material elements are contained therein. When the total material elements are manifested by the interaction of the three modes of material nature, the manifestation is called prakṛti. Impersonalists say that Brahman is without variegatedness and without differentiation. One may say that pradhāna is the Brahman stage, but actually the Brahman stage is not pradhāna. Pradhāna is distinct from Brahman because in Brahman there is no existence of the material modes of nature. One may argue that the mahat-tattva is also different from pradhāna because in the mahat-tattva there are manifestations. The actual explanation of pradhāna, however, is given here: when the cause and effect are not clearly manifested ( avyakta ), the reaction of the total elements does not take place, and that stage of material nature is called pradhāna. Pradhāna is not the time element because in the time element there are actions and reactions, creation and annihilation. Nor is it the jīva, or marginal potency of living entities, or designated, conditioned living entities, because the designations of the living entities are not eternal. One adjective used in this connection is nitya, which indicates eternality. Therefore the condition of material nature immediately previous to its manifestation is called pradhāna.
FAQs
This verse says pradhāna—also called prakṛti—is unmanifest, eternal, and composed of the three guṇas, undifferentiated in itself yet able to generate the many varieties of the created world.
Kapila instructs His mother Devahūti in Sāṅkhya to help her discern spirit from matter; understanding prakṛti and its guṇas supports detachment and devotion leading toward liberation.
By recognizing how sattva, rajas, and tamas shape thoughts and habits, one can reduce passion and ignorance, cultivate clarity, and anchor life in bhakti rather than being driven by material impulses.