Previous Verse
Next Verse

Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 5

Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Māyā, Cosmic Dissolution, Guru-Śaraṇāgati, Bhakti, and Deity Worship

गुणैर्गुणान्स भुञ्जान आत्मप्रद्योतितै: प्रभु: । मन्यमान इदं सृष्टमात्मानमिह सज्जते ॥ ५ ॥

guṇair guṇān sa bhuñjāna ātma-pradyotitaiḥ prabhuḥ manyamāna idaṁ sṛṣṭam ātmānam iha sajjate

പരമാത്മാവ് ഉണർത്തിയ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളാൽ ജീവൻ ത്രിഗുണമയ വിഷയങ്ങളെ ഭോഗിക്കുവാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നു. അങ്ങനെ സൃഷ്ടമായ ദേഹത്തെയേ ‘ഞാൻ’ എന്നു കരുതി, അജന്മ നിത്യാത്മാവിനെ ദേഹത്തിൽ ആസക്തമാക്കി, പ്രഭുവിന്റെ മായയിൽ കുടുങ്ങുന്നു।

गुणैःby the qualities
गुणैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
गुणान्qualities; objects of sense
गुणान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
भुञ्जानःenjoying
भुञ्जानः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकालिक शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
आत्म-प्रद्योतितैःillumined by the self
आत्म-प्रद्योतितैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआत्मन् + प्र + द्यु/द्योत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (आत्मना प्रद्योतिताः)
प्रभुःthe Lord; master
प्रभुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
मन्यमानःthinking; considering
मन्यमानः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकालिक शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
इदम्this
इदम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
सृष्टम्created
सृष्टम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इदम् इति विशेषणम्
आत्मानम्the self
आत्मानम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
इहhere; in this (world/body)
इह:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देश-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)
सज्जतेbecomes attached
सज्जते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसञ्ज्/सज् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

In this verse the living entity is called prabhuḥ, or “master,” because he is a minute part and parcel of the supreme master, Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, in Bhagavad-gītā (15.8) the Lord has described the living entity as īśvaraḥ, “the controller.”

FAQs

This verse explains that the soul experiences the world through the gunas, then mistakes the body and worldly arrangement as meant for itself, and thus becomes attached and bound.

Because by nature the self is conscious and distinct from matter, but due to misidentification with the gunas and the body, that true mastery is forgotten and attachment arises.

Notice that thoughts and sense urges arise from the gunas; practice witnessing them without identifying as the body-mind, and cultivate devotion and detachment to stop feeding attachment.