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Shloka 38

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

तत्रैकगुणमाकाशं द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते । त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरित्याहुरापश्चापि चतुर्गुणा:

tatraikaguṇam ākāśaṃ dviguṇo vāyur ucyate | triguṇaṃ jyotir ity āhur āpaś cāpi caturguṇāḥ ||

وایودیو نے کہا—پانچ مہابھوتوں میں آکاش کو ایک ہی گُن والا کہا گیا ہے۔ وایو دو گُنوں والا بیان کیا جاتا ہے۔ تیج (آگ) کو تین گُنوں سے یُکت کہا گیا ہے، اور جل (پانی) بھی چار گُنوں والا کہا گیا ہے۔

तत्रthere/in that context
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
एकगुणम्having one quality
एकगुणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootएकगुण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आकाशम्ether/space
आकाशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआकाश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
द्विगुणःhaving two qualities
द्विगुणः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootद्विगुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वायुःwind/air
वायुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवायु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उच्यतेis said/called
उच्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPresent, Passive, Third, Singular
त्रिगुणम्having three qualities
त्रिगुणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रिगुण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ज्योतिःlight/fire (tejas)
ज्योतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्योतिस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus/so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural
आपःwaters
आपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअप्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अपिalso
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
चतुर्गुणाःhaving four qualities
चतुर्गुणाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुर्गुण
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyu-deva
Ā
ākāśa (space/ether)
V
vāyu (wind/air)
J
jyotis/tejas (fire/light)
Ā
āpas (water)
P
pañcamahābhūta (five great elements)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches a hierarchy of the elements by the number of perceptible qualities (guṇas) they manifest: space has one, wind two, fire three, and water four—indicating increasing complexity as creation becomes more tangible.

Vāyu-deva is instructing the listener in a doctrinal explanation of the constituents of the world (the mahābhūtas), using the traditional scheme of counting their qualities to clarify how subtle reality differentiates into grosser forms.