Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 2

Adhyāya 40: Brahmā on Mahān (The Great Principle) and the All-Pervading Puruṣa

महानात्मा मतिर्विष्णुर्जिष्णु: शम्भुश्न वीर्यवान्‌ । बुद्धि: प्रज्ञोपलब्धिश्व॒ तथा ख्यातिर्धति: स्मृति:,महान्‌ आत्मा, मति, विष्णु, जिष्णु, शम्भु, वीर्यवान्‌, बुद्धि, प्रज्ञा, उपलब्धि, ख्याति, धृति, स्मृति--इन पर्यायवाची नामोंसे महान्‌ आत्माकी पहचान होती है। उसके तत्त्वको जाननेवाला दविद्दान्‌ ब्राह्मण कभी मोहमें नहीं पड़ता

vāyudeva uvāca | mahān ātmā matir viṣṇur jiṣṇuḥ śambhuś ca vīryavān | buddhiḥ prajñopalabdhiś ca tathā khyātir dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ |

Ваю-дева сказал: «Великое Я познаётся по этим именам-синонимам: Великая Душа, Разум (Мати), Вишну, Победоносный (Джишну), Шамбху, Могучий; а также — понимание, мудрость, непосредственное постижение, слава, стойкость и память. Учёный брахман, поистине знающий эту реальность Великого Я, никогда не впадает в омрачение.»

महानात्माthe great-souled one
महानात्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहान् + आत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मतिःintelligence; thought
मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
विष्णुःVishnu
विष्णुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
जिष्णुःthe victorious one
जिष्णुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजिष्णु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शम्भुःShambhu (Shiva); beneficent one
शम्भुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशम्भु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वीर्यवान्possessing valor/power
वीर्यवान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवीर्यवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बुद्धिःintellect; understanding
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
प्रज्ञाwisdom; higher knowledge
प्रज्ञा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रज्ञा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
उपलब्धिःattainment; perception
उपलब्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउपलब्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तथाlikewise; so
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
ख्यातिःfame; renown
ख्यातिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootख्याति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
धृतिःsteadfastness; fortitude
धृतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधृति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
स्मृतिःmemory; recollection
स्मृतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्मृति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva
M
Mahān Ātmā (Great Self)
V
Viṣṇu
J
Jiṣṇu
Ś
Śambhu
B
Brāhmaṇa (learned knower)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that the supreme inner reality (the Great Self) can be approached through many synonymous epithets—divine names and cognitive virtues alike—and that true knowledge of this reality frees a learned person from moha (delusion).

Vāyudeva is instructing by listing names/attributes that point to the Great Self, emphasizing that recognizing the one reality behind these terms is the mark of a true knower, who therefore does not become confused or spiritually misled.