Shloka 10
Avatāra-kathā — The Puruṣa, the Many Incarnations, and Kṛṣṇa as Svayam Bhagavān
पञ्चम: कपिलो नाम सिद्धेश: कालविप्लुतम् । प्रोवाचासुरये साङ्ख्यं तत्त्वग्रामविनिर्णयम् ॥ १० ॥
pañcamaḥ kapilo nāma siddheśaḥ kāla-viplutam provācāsuraye sāṅkhyaṁ tattva-grāma-vinirṇayam
ఐదవ అవతారంలో సిద్ధులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడైన భగవాన్ కపిలుడు అవతరించాడు. కాలప్రవాహంలో నశించిన సాంఖ్య తత్త్వనిర్ణయాన్ని ఆయన ఆసురి బ్రాహ్మణునికి ఉపదేశించాడు।
The sum total of the creative elements is twenty-four in all. Each and every one of them is explicitly explained in the system of Sāṅkhya philosophy. Sāṅkhya philosophy is generally called metaphysics by the European scholars. The etymological meaning of sāṅkhya is “that which explains very lucidly by analysis of the material elements.” This was done for the first time by Lord Kapila, who is said herein to be the fifth in the line of incarnations.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord’s fifth avatāra is Kapila, who taught Āsuri the Sāṅkhya system—an analysis of the tattvas (fundamental categories of reality)—to restore knowledge obscured by time.
Because with the passage of time (kāla) true understanding becomes covered; Kapila instructed Āsuri to re-establish clear discernment of reality through a decisive explanation of the tattva categories.
It encourages systematic self-inquiry—distinguishing the temporary from the eternal—so one can make clearer choices, reduce confusion, and orient life toward spiritual realization rather than time-driven distractions.