Shloka 44
मानससृष्टिः, रुद्रोत्पत्तिः, मन्वादिवंशः, प्रलयचतुष्टयम्
गुणत्रयमयं ह्य् एतद् ब्रह्मञ् छक्तित्रयं महत् यो ऽतियाति स यात्य् एव परं नावर्तते पुनः
guṇatrayamayaṃ hy etad brahmañ chaktitrayaṃ mahat yo 'tiyāti sa yāty eva paraṃ nāvartate punaḥ
O Brahmin, this vast reality is made of the three guṇas and empowered by a threefold śakti; whoever transcends it reaches the Supreme and does not return again.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: The guṇa-constituted reality and the means/result of transcending it to reach the Supreme without return.
Teaching: Philosophical
Quality: revealing
Creation Stage: Primary
Concept: Though the manifested order is guṇa-made and powered by a threefold śakti, one who transcends guṇas attains the Supreme and is not reborn.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Practice discernment of guṇas in mind and conduct, cultivate sattva and devotion, and aim for surrender/knowledge that leads beyond guṇa-conditioning.
Vishishtadvaita: Mokṣa is reaching the Supreme Person (not mere absorption into an impersonal absolute), with ‘non-return’ as the fruit of His grace and realization.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
This verse frames the entire manifest order as triguṇic; liberation is defined as going beyond that guṇa-made field to the Para (Supreme), after which there is no return to cyclic existence.
He indicates that the great manifested reality operates through a “threefold power,” aligned with the triguṇic constitution of prakṛti; spiritual attainment requires surpassing this operational domain rather than merely refining it.
In Vaishnava Vedanta, the “Para” ultimately points to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality beyond guṇas; reaching Him is moksha, marked by final freedom from return (punarāvṛtti) into saṃsāra.