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Shloka 2

अव्यक्त-गुण-पुरुषविवेकः | Avyakta, Guṇas, and Discrimination of Puruṣa

तिर्यग्योनिसहस्रेषु कदाचिद्‌ देवतास्वपि । उपपसद्यति संयोगाद्‌ गुणै: सह गुणक्षयात्‌

tiryagyoni-sahasreṣu kadācid devatāsv api | upapadyati saṃyogād guṇaiḥ saha guṇa-kṣayāt ||

गुणों के संयोग से और उन्हीं गुणों के क्षय-परिवर्तन के अनुसार वह कभी सहस्रों बार तिर्यग्योनियों में और कभी देवताओं में भी जन्म लेता है।

तिर्यग्योनिसहस्रेषुin thousands of animal-wombs (lower births)
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्रेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootतिर्यग्योनि + सहस्र
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
कदाचित्sometimes
कदाचित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचित्
देवतासुamong the deities
देवतासु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेवता
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उपपद्यतिis born/comes to be
उपपद्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootउप + √पद्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
संयोगात्from (the cause of) conjunction/association
संयोगात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootसंयोग
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
गुणैःwith/by the qualities (gunas)
गुणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
सहtogether with
सह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसह
गुणक्षयात्from the diminution/waning of the qualities
गुणक्षयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootगुणक्षय
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular

वसिष्ठ उवाच

V
Vasiṣṭha
T
tiryagyoni (animal births)
D
devatā (gods)

Educational Q&A

Birth in lower or higher realms is driven by association with the guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) and their changing strength; as qualities arise, mix, and diminish, the jīva cycles through many forms. Ethical implication: cultivate sattva and detach from guṇa-driven impulses to reduce bondage to saṃsāra.

Vasiṣṭha is instructing about the mechanism of transmigration: through contact with guṇas and the exhaustion/shift of those guṇas, a being repeatedly attains births—sometimes among animals, sometimes among gods—illustrating the instability of worldly status and the causal role of qualities.