Shloka 21

Brahma-vidyā: Satya–Tapas and the Enumeration of Tattvas

Arjuna–Vāsudeva framed dialogue

Devanagari script

महाभूतविशेषश्च विशेषप्रतिशाखवान्‌ । सदापर्ण: सदापुष्प: सदा शुभफलोदय:

Transliteration

mahābhūtaviśeṣaś ca viśeṣapratiśākhavān | sadāparṇaḥ sadāpuṣpaḥ sadā śubhaphalodayaḥ ||

Translation

Dewa Vāyu bersabda: “Ini adalah perwujudan menakjubkan dari unsur-unsur agung, dibedakan oleh percabangan yang unik. Ia senantiasa berdaun dan senantiasa berbunga, serta terus-menerus melahirkan buah-buah yang membawa keberkahan.”

Word by Word

• महाभूतविशेषः: a special (manifestation) of the great elements
• महाभूतविशेषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभूत-विशेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विशेषप्रतिशाखवान्: having distinct branches
• विशेषप्रतिशाखवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशेष-प्रतिशाखवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदापर्णः: ever-leafed (having leaves always)
• सदापर्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा-पर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदापुष्पः: ever-flowering
• सदापुष्पः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा-पुष्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• शुभफलोदयः: the arising/production of auspicious fruits
• शुभफलोदयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ-फल-उदय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyu-deva)
• महाभूत (the great elements)
• tree/plant with perpetual leaves, flowers, and fruits (implied object)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises a phenomenon (implicitly a sacred tree or divine growth) as an extraordinary expression of the cosmic elements, emphasizing perpetual vitality and the steady production of auspicious ‘fruits’—a moral image for dharmic action that reliably yields beneficent outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva describes a marvel characterized by unique branching and unceasing leaves, flowers, and auspicious fruits, highlighting its divine or extraordinary nature within the episode being narrated in this chapter.