Shloka 40

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

महत्तत्त्वे प्रविष्टं च यद्रजः परिकीर्तितम् / प्रलये समनुप्राप्ते महत्तत्त्वे स्थितं रजः

Transliteration

mahattattve praviṣṭaṃ ca yadrajaḥ parikīrtitam / pralaye samanuprāpte mahattattve sthitaṃ rajaḥ

Translation

മഹത്തത്ത്വത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചതായി പ്രസിദ്ധമായ രജസ്, പ്രളയം സമാഗതമാകുമ്പോൾ മഹത്തത്ത്വത്തിൽ തന്നെയായി സ്ഥാപിതമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു।

Word by Word

• महत्-तत्त्वे: in the Mahat-tattva
• महत्-तत्त्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘महत् तत्त्वम्’); locative singular

• प्रविष्टम्: entered
• प्रविष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viś (धातु) + pra + viṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘entered’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; relative pronoun ‘which/that’

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular

• परिकीर्तितम्: is declared/mentioned
• परिकीर्तितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīrt (धातु) + pari + kīrtita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘declared/mentioned’

• प्रलये: at dissolution
• प्रलये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular

• समनु-प्राप्ते: when (it) has fully arrived
• समनु-प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āp (धातु) + sam-anu + prāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative absolute with ‘प्रलये’ (‘when dissolution has arrived’)

• महत्-तत्त्वे: in the Mahat-tattva
• महत्-तत्त्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular

• स्थितम्: remains/stands
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) + sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agrees with ‘रजः’ (understood)

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rajas associated with Mahat-tattva persists/abides in Mahat at dissolution; evolutes retract into their causal substrate during pralaya.

Vedantic Theme: Laya-krama (involution) and causality: effects resolve into causes; supports detachment by seeing all manifestation as reversible and non-ultimate.

Application: Contemplate impermanence: even powerful activity (rajas) returns to its source; reduce over-identification with action and outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: cosmology passages on sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya cycles

Characters & Entities

• Mahat-tattva
• Rajas
• Pralaya

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahat-tattva in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Mahat-tattva as the cosmic principle that holds and reabsorbs rajas at pralaya, indicating how guṇas return to their causal source during dissolution.

How does this verse explain dissolution (pralaya)?

It describes pralaya as a reabsorption process: rajas, having entered Mahat-tattva, remains there when dissolution occurs—signaling a return from manifest activity to the unmanifest causal level.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seeing rajas as a transient force encourages self-regulation: reduce restless, impulsive action and cultivate steadiness (sattva) through disciplined conduct, study, and mindful duties.