Shloka 23
Adhyāya 39 — त्रिगुणविवेकः (Discrimination of the Three Guṇas) and Avyakta-Doctrine
तमो व्यक्त शिवं धाम रजो योनि: सनातन: । प्रकृतिर्विकार: प्रलय: प्रधानं प्रभवाप्ययौ,प्रकृतिको तम, व्यकत, शिव, धाम, रज, योनि, सनातन, प्रकृति, विकार, प्रलय, प्रधान प्रभव, अप्यय, अनुद्रिक्त, अनून, अकम्प, अचल, ध्रुव, सत, असत्ू, अव्यक्त और त्रिगुणात्मक कहते हैं। अध्यात्मतत्त्वका चिन्तन करनेवाले लोगोंको इन नामोंका ज्ञान प्राप्त करना चाहिये
tamo vyaktaṁ śivaṁ dhāma rajo yoniḥ sanātanaḥ | prakṛtir vikāraḥ pralayaḥ pradhānaṁ prabhavāpyayau ||
Vāyu said: “That supreme principle is spoken of by many names: as Darkness (tamas), as the Manifest (vyakta), as the Auspicious (śiva), as the Abode (dhāma); as Passion (rajas), as the Eternal Womb or Source (yoniḥ sanātanaḥ); as Nature (prakṛti), as Transformation (vikāra), as Dissolution (pralaya), as the Primal Ground (pradhāna), and as both Origin and Return (prabhava and apyaya). Those who contemplate the truth of the Self should learn and recognize these designations.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the ultimate principle underlying the cosmos is described through multiple doctrinal names—guṇas (tamas, rajas), cosmological states (vyakta), and Sāṅkhya categories (prakṛti, pradhāna, vikāra, pralaya, prabhava, apyaya). A seeker of adhyātma should understand these terms to discern the one reality spoken of in many ways.
Vāyudeva is instructing the listener by listing authoritative names and categories used by contemplatives and philosophers to describe the cosmic principle of manifestation and dissolution, guiding the audience toward disciplined understanding of spiritual terminology.