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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 51

Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death

प्रकृतेरेवमात्मानमविविच्याबुध: पुमान् । तत्त्वेन स्पर्शसम्मूढ: संसारं प्रतिपद्यते ॥ ५१ ॥

prakṛter evam ātmānam avivicyābudhaḥ pumān tattvena sparśa-sammūḍhaḥ saṁsāraṁ pratipadyate

愚かな者は自分をプラクリティ(物質自然)から見分けられず、それを真実そのものと思い込む。触れ合うことで完全に惑わされ、輪廻(サンサーラ)へと入ってゆく。

prakṛteḥfrom nature (prakṛti)
prakṛteḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootprakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी) [or Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) by context], Singular (एकवचन)
evamthus
evam:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
ātmānamthe self
ātmānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
avivicyawithout discerning
avivicya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootvi + vic (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘a-’ privative + vivicya; meaning ‘without discriminating’; indeclinable verbal form (अव्ययभाव)
abudhaḥan ignorant person
abudhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roota + budha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
pumāna man
pumān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
tattvenaby reality / in truth
tattvena:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottattva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
sparśa-sammūḍhaḥdeluded by sense-contact
sparśa-sammūḍhaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsparśa + sammūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); sammūḍha = past passive participle (क्त) of sam+√muh; समासः—तत्पुरुष (sparśeṇa sammūḍhaḥ / sparśe sammūḍhaḥ)
saṁsāramtransmigration, worldly existence
saṁsāram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṁsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
pratipadyateattains/enters
pratipadyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati + pad (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

A similar verse is found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.7.5) :

K
Kṛṣṇa
U
Uddhava

FAQs

This verse explains that when one does not discriminate the ātmā from prakṛti, one becomes deluded by sense-contact and thereby falls into saṁsāra (bondage and repeated worldly experience).

In the Uddhava Gītā, Kṛṣṇa teaches Uddhava liberation through clear knowledge (viveka). Here He warns that taking sensory experience as ultimate truth keeps one bound to material existence.

Regularly pause before reacting to pleasure or discomfort, remember you are the observer (ātmā) and not the sensations, and choose actions guided by dharma and devotion rather than impulse.