Shloka 5

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

गुणप्रवृत्त्या भूतानां प्रवृत्तिः कर्मचोदिता प्रवर्तन्ते गुणाश् चैते किं ममेति त्वयोदितम्

Transliteration

guṇapravṛttyā bhūtānāṃ pravṛttiḥ karmacoditā pravartante guṇāś caite kiṃ mameti tvayoditam

Translation

ด้วยความก่อกวนของคุณะทั้งหลาย กิจของสัตว์ทั้งปวงจึงเคลื่อนไป ถูกกรรมผลักดัน คุณะเหล่านี้ย่อมเวียนไปตามทางของตนเอง; แล้วคำว่า “ของเรา” ที่ท่านกล่าวนั้นคืออะไร?

Word by Word

• गुणप्रवृत्त्या: by the activity of the guṇas
• गुणप्रवृत्त्या: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण-प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (गुणस्य प्रवृत्तिः)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रवृत्तिः: activity; engagement
• प्रवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्तृ/Subject), एकवचन

• कर्मचोदिता: impelled by karma
• कर्मचोदिता: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म-चोदित (कृदन्त; √चुद् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्मणा चोदिता)

• प्रवर्तन्ते: they proceed; they act
• प्रवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• गुणाः: the guṇas
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एते: these
• एते: Anvaya (Correlative/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिबोधक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent expressed in instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उदितम्: said; uttered
• उदितम्: Karma (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (कृदन्त; √वद्/√उद्?; here from √वद् 'to say' as उक्त/उदित used 'said')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya in philosophical instruction)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Deconstruction of ‘mine’ (mamatā) in light of guṇas and karma-driven activity

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: analytical

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Agency and possessiveness are misreadings of guṇa-driven activity propelled by karma, so ‘mine’ lacks ultimate grounding.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Observe impulses and actions as conditioned tendencies; loosen possessive language and practice non-identification in daily choices.

Vishishtadvaita: Individual self is distinct yet dependent; false mamatā arises when the self forgets its śeṣatva (belonging) to the Lord amid guṇa-pravṛtti.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of the guṇas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames all embodied activity as arising from the motion of the guṇas, showing that worldly behavior is a product of prakṛti’s qualities rather than an independent, sovereign ego.

How does Sage Parāśara explain karma and action here?

He states that beings act because karma impels them, while the guṇas continue their operations—implying that action is conditioned and patterned, not merely a free personal choice.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By undermining “I” and “mine” as products of guṇa-driven conditioning, the teaching prepares the ground for recognizing a higher, governing Reality—Vishnu—as the supreme sustainer beyond prakṛti and egoic appropriation.