Shloka 16

Adhyāya 39 — त्रिगुणविवेकः (Discrimination of the Three Guṇas) and Avyakta-Doctrine

Devanagari script

एवं ज्योतिष्षु सर्वेषु निवर्तन्ते गुणास्त्रय: । पर्यायेण च वर्तन्ते तत्र तत्र तथा तथा,इस प्रकार सभी ज्योतियोंमें तीनों गुण क्रमश: वहाँ-वहाँ उस-उस प्रकारसे प्रकट होते और विलीन होते रहते हैं

Transliteration

evaṁ jyotiṣṣu sarveṣu nivartante guṇās trayaḥ | paryāyeṇa ca vartante tatra tatra tathā tathā ||

Translation

Kaya nito, sa lahat ng nagliliwanag na katawan, ang tatlong guṇa ay paulit-ulit na lumulubog at muling lumilitaw—nagpapalitan ng pagkakataon at nagpapakita sa bawat dako ayon sa sariling anyo roon. Ang aral: kahit ang wari’y matatag at maningning ay pinamamahalaan ng paikot na pagbabago ng kalikasan; kaya dapat kilalanin ang galaw ng mga katangian, at huwag ipagkamaling ito’y isang sarili na di nagbabago.

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

ज्योतिषुin the lights/luminous bodies

सर्वेषुin all

निवर्तन्तेcease, withdraw, come to an end

गुणाःqualities (gunas)

त्रयःthree

पर्यायेणin succession, by turns

चand

वर्तन्तेexist, operate, occur

तत्रthere, in that place/context

तत्रthere (here and there)

तथाso, in that manner

तथाso, likewise

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vayudeva

guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

jyotis (luminous bodies/lights)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All phenomena—even luminous or exalted ones—are subject to the alternating dominance of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Recognizing this cyclical play helps one cultivate discernment and avoid identifying the self with changing states.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is explaining a cosmological-psychological principle: across all ‘lights’ (luminous bodies or radiant manifestations), the three guṇas repeatedly manifest and withdraw in turn, differing according to context and locus.