Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

पर्यायवाचकै: शब्दैर्महानात्मा विभाव्यते । तं जानन ब्राह्मणो विद्वान प्रमोहें नाधिगच्छति

Transliteration

paryāyavācakaiḥ śabdair mahānātmā vibhāvyate | taṃ jānann brāhmaṇo vidvān pramohe nādhigacchati ||

Translation

మహానాత్మను పర్యాయవాచక పదములచే గ్రహించవలెను. ఆయనను తెలిసిన విద్యావంతుడైన బ్రాహ్మణుడు మోహమునకు లోనుకాడు. “మహానాత్మ, మతి, విష్ణు, జిష్ణు, శంభు, వీర్యవాన్, బుద్ధి, ప్రజ్ఞ, ఉపలబ్ధి, ఖ్యాతి, ధృతి, స్మృతి”—ఇవి ఆ మహానాత్మనే సూచించు నామములు; ఆయన సారమును గ్రహించినవాడు భ్రమించడు।

Word by Word

• पर्यायवाचकैः: by synonym-indicating (words)
• पर्यायवाचकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पर्यायवाचक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शब्दैः: by words
• शब्दैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महानात्मा: the great-souled one
• महानात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: महानात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विभाव्यते: is understood/ascertained
• विभाव्यते: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + भू
• Form: Present, Indicative, Passive, 3rd, Singular

• तम्: him/that (principle)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जानन्: knowing
• जानन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विद्वान्: learned, wise
• विद्वान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रमोहे: in delusion
• प्रमोहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमोह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अधिगच्छति: attains/enters (into)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + गम्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Active, 3rd, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Mahān Ātmā
• Brāhmaṇa
• Viṣṇu
• Jiṣṇu
• Śambhu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Many divine and psychological terms can function as pointers to one underlying Reality—the Great Self. When a person understands the essence behind these names (rather than clinging to mere labels), delusion and confusion do not arise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing a listener in a reflective, doctrinal mode: he explains that the ‘Great Self’ is indicated through multiple synonymous epithets, and he emphasizes the ethical-spiritual result of true understanding—freedom from pramoha (delusion).