Shloka 31

Kapila’s Conclusion: Limits of Karma and Yoga; Supremacy of Bhakti and Qualification to Receive the Teaching

Devanagari script

इत्येतत्कथितं गुर्वि ज्ञानं तद्ब्रह्म-दर्शनम् । येनानुबुद्ध्यते तत्त्वं प्रकृते: पुरुषस्य च ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

ity etat kathitaṁ gurvi jñānaṁ tad brahma-darśanam yenānubuddhyate tattvaṁ prakṛteḥ puruṣasya ca

Translation

Mahal kong iginagalang na ina, naipahayag Ko na sa iyo ang kaalamang tinatawag na Brahma-darśana; sa pamamagitan nito nauunawaan ang tunay na kalikasan ng prakṛti at puruṣa at ang ugnayan nila.

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-निपात (quotative particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (here: subject complement)

• कथितम्: has been told
• कथितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (said/told)

• गुर्वि: to the teacher / in the revered one
• गुर्वि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘in/for the teacher’ (address/locative of reference)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समनाधिकरण with एतत्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• ब्रह्म-दर्शनम्: vision/realization of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-दर्शनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः दर्शनम्)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धि-प्रश्न/relative pronoun

• अनुबुद्ध्यते: is understood
• अनुबुद्ध्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-budh (बुध् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is understood/realized)

• तत्त्वम्: the truth/principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनुबुद्ध्यते इत्यस्य कर्म

• प्रकृतेः: of nature (prakṛti)
• प्रकृतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पुरुषस्य: of the person (puruṣa)
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Devahuti
• Prakriti
• Purusha

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about understanding prakriti and purusha?

This verse says that genuine Brahman-realization includes clear understanding of both prakṛti (material nature) and puruṣa (the conscious self), grasped through profound spiritual knowledge.

Why did Kapila speak this knowledge to Devahuti in Canto 3?

Kapila instructs His mother Devahūti to elevate her beyond material identification by giving liberating knowledge that reveals the true distinction between matter and spirit.

Practical application of Sankhya knowledge in modern life according to this shloka?

Practice discernment: separate the changing body-mind (prakṛti) from the witnessing self (puruṣa), and use that clarity to reduce attachment and deepen spiritual focus.