Shloka 21

Bhūta-guṇa-saṃkhyāna

Enumeration of the Properties of the Elements and Cognitive Faculties

Devanagari script

परिद्रष्टा गुणानां च परिस््रष्टा यथातथम्‌ । सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्योरेतदन्तरं विद्धि सूक्ष्मयो:

Transliteration

paridraṣṭā guṇānāṁ ca parisraṣṭā yathātatham | sattvakṣetrajñayor etad antaraṁ viddhi sūkṣmayoḥ ||

Translation

ଆତ୍ମା ଗୁଣମାନଙ୍କର ଦ୍ରଷ୍ଟା ଏବଂ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଅନୁସାରେ ତାଙ୍କର ନିୟାମକ/ବିନ୍ୟାସକର୍ତ୍ତା ମଧ୍ୟ। ସତ୍ତ୍ୱ (ବୁଦ୍ଧି) ଓ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରଜ୍ଞ—ଏହି ଦୁଇ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱରେ ଏହି ଭେଦ ଜାଣ: ବୁଦ୍ଧି ଦୃଶ୍ୟ, ଆତ୍ମା ଦ୍ରଷ୍ଟା।

Word by Word

• परिद्रष्टा: the all-around seer/observer
• परिद्रष्टा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिद्रष्टृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुणानाम्: of the qualities (guṇas)
• गुणानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• परिस्रष्टा: the all-around creator/producer
• परिस्रष्टा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिस्रष्टृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तथम्: so, in that manner (accordingly)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोः: of buddhi (sattva) and the knower of the field (kṣetrajña)
• सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्तरम्: difference, distinction
• अन्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धि: know (you), understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सूक्ष्मयोः: of the two subtle (entities)
• सूक्ष्मयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• guṇas
• sattva (buddhi)
• kṣetrajña (Self/ātman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes the intellect (buddhi/sattva) from the Self (kṣetrajña): buddhi is part of prakṛti and thus an object that can be observed, while the Self is the observing consciousness. Because the Self is the witness, it knows the guṇas; the guṇas, being insentient constituents, do not truly know the Self.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers a philosophical clarification aimed at inner peace and liberation: he explains how to discern the seer from the seen, so that one does not mistake mental functions and guṇic movements for the true Self.