Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 27
Brahmā’s Day, the Four Pralayas, and the Supreme Shelter Beyond Cause–Effect
सत्यं ह्यवयव: प्रोक्त: सर्वावयविनामिह । विनार्थेन प्रतीयेरन् पटस्येवाङ्ग तन्तव: ॥ २७ ॥
satyaṁ hy avayavaḥ proktaḥ sarvāvayavinām iha vinārthena pratīyeran paṭasyevāṅga tantavaḥ
O Hari, sinasabi na ang mga sangkap ng bawat bagay na binubuo ay tunay na mauunawa; gaya ng mga sinulid ng tela na maaaring makita nang hiwalay sa mismong tela.
FAQs
This verse states that parts are considered real only in relation to the real composite they belong to; without the underlying substance/whole, the parts would not be meaningfully perceived—illustrated by threads being understood through the cloth.
In Canto 12, Śukadeva is giving Parīkṣit a philosophical clarification about reality, perception, and how attributes and components depend on an underlying entity—supporting the Bhagavatam’s broader teaching on tattva and ultimate truth.
Focus on the underlying reality rather than getting lost in fragments—see people, situations, and even the self as integrated wholes, and direct attention toward the ultimate substance (Bhagavān) rather than only external details.