Shloka 21
Adhyātma-krama: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman Hierarchy and Citta-Prasāda (आध्यात्मक्रमः)
सर्ग: कालो धृतिर्वेदा: कर्ता कार्य क्रियाफलम् । एतत् ते कथितं तात यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
sargaḥ kālo dhṛtir vedāḥ kartā kārya-kriyā-phalam | etat te kathitaṃ tāta yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi ||
வியாசர் கூறினார்—குழந்தையே! நீ என்னிடம் கேட்டதற்கேற்ப, ஸர்கம், காலம், த்ருதி, வேதங்கள், கர்த்தா, காரியம், கிரியாபலம்—இவை அனைத்தையும் உனக்கு விளக்கிக் கூறினேன்।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse summarizes a framework for ethical and metaphysical understanding: actions (kriyā) arise from an agent (kartā) directed toward a duty or task (kārya), and they yield results (phala), all within the larger realities of creation (sarga), time (kāla), sustaining steadiness/order (dhṛti), and Vedic knowledge (vedāḥ).
Vyāsa concludes a response to a disciple’s inquiry by listing the principal topics he has covered, signaling that the requested explanation—about the structure of the world and the logic of action and consequence—has been completed.