Shloka 49

अव्यक्त-गुण-पुरुषविवेकः | Avyakta, Guṇas, and Discrimination of Puruṣa

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रादीनि तु सर्वाणि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाण्यथ । वागादीनि प्रवर्तन्ते गुणेष्विह गुणी: सह

Transliteration

śrotrādīni tu sarvāṇi pañcakarmendriyāṇy atha | vāgādīni pravartante guṇeṣv iha guṇī saha ||

Translation

ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରାଦି ପାଞ୍ଚ ଜ୍ଞାନେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଓ ବାଗାଦି ପାଞ୍ଚ କର୍ମେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ନିଜ-ନିଜ ଗୁଣର ବିଷୟରେ ମାତ୍ର ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି। ଗୁଣମୟ ଦେହମାନଙ୍କରେ ଗୁଣସହିତ ଦେହୀ ଜୀବ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରେ।

Word by Word

• श्रोत्रादीनि: the ear etc. (sense-organs beginning with the ear)
• श्रोत्रादीनि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रादि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: organs of action
• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मेन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: then/now/and further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वागादीनि: speech etc. (organs beginning with speech)
• वागादीनि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वागादि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्रवर्तन्ते: operate/act/function
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• गुणेषु: in/among the qualities (guṇas)
• गुणेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• इह: here/in this world
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• गुणीः: the possessors of qualities (embodied beings)
• गुणीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• śrotra (ear/hearing)
• vāk (speech)
• pañca karmendriyas (five organs of action)
• guṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the senses and organs of action do not act independently; they function only in connection with their corresponding guṇas/qualities. Ethical discipline and liberation-oriented insight begin by recognizing this guṇa-driven mechanism and reducing identification with it.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vasiṣṭha explains the constitution and operation of embodied life: the sensory and active faculties arise and work within the field of guṇas, showing how the individual’s experience and conduct are conditioned by nature’s qualities.