Shloka 24
अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः
तथात्मा प्रकृतेः सङ्गाद् अहंमानादिदूषितः भजते प्राकृतान् धर्मान् अन्यस् तेभ्यो हि सो ऽव्ययः
tathātmā prakṛteḥ saṅgād ahaṃmānādidūṣitaḥ bhajate prākṛtān dharmān anyas tebhyo hi so 'vyayaḥ
Thus the embodied self, through association with Prakṛti, becomes tainted by ego-sense and its distortions, and so takes up the qualities and duties of material nature. Yet in truth it is other than these, for that Self is imperishable.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How ego-sense (ahaṃmāna) and prakṛti’s qualities are adventitious to the self, which remains imperishable
Teaching: Philosophical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Through association with prakṛti the embodied self appears tainted by ego-sense and adopts material qualities, yet in truth the self is distinct and imperishable.
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: Track egoic reactions as prakṛti’s movements; respond with witness-awareness and disciplined conduct rather than self-identification.
Vishishtadvaita: The jīva is ‘anyaḥ’ (other than prakṛti) and ‘avyayaḥ’ (imperishable), supporting an enduring individual self that can be purified and oriented toward the Lord rather than dissolved into non-being.
FAQs
This verse explains that bondage arises when the Self associates with Prakṛti, leading it to appear conditioned by material qualities and roles, even though its real nature remains unchanged.
Parāśara presents ahaṃkāra as a primary “taint” born from contact with nature: it makes the Self identify with prakṛtic qualities and thus ‘adopt’ worldly dharmas.
By stressing the imperishability of the true Self beyond material traits, the teaching supports Vaishnava-Vedantic liberation: realizing one’s dependence on the Supreme (Vishnu) and disentangling from Prakṛti’s guṇas.