Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death

Devanagari script

प्रकृतिर्गुणसाम्यं वै प्रकृतेर्नात्मनो गुणा: । सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतव: ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

prakṛtir guṇa-sāmyaṁ vai prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ sattvaṁ rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ

Translation

Prakṛti ban sơ tồn tại như trạng thái quân bình của ba guṇa, vốn chỉ thuộc về tự nhiên chứ không thuộc về linh hồn siêu việt. Ba guṇa—thiện (sattva), động (rajas) và ám (tamas)—là nguyên nhân hữu hiệu của sự tạo lập, duy trì và hoại diệt vũ trụ này.

Synonyms

• prakṛtiḥ: prakṛti (material nature)
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇa-sāmyam: equilibrium of the guṇas
• guṇa-sāmyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुणानां साम्यम्)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (निपात/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• prakṛteḥ: of prakṛti
• prakṛteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ātmanaḥ: of the Self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇāḥ: qualities; guṇas
• guṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sattvam: sattva
• sattvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• rajaḥ: rajas
• rajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tamaḥ: tamas
• tamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• sthiti-utpatti-anta-hetavaḥ: causes of maintenance, creation, and dissolution
• sthiti-utpatti-anta-hetavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक) + utpatti (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (स्थितेः उत्पत्तेः अन्तस्य हेतवः)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) it is stated:

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas)?

This verse explains that sattva, rajas, and tamas belong to prakṛti (material nature) and function as the causes behind creation, maintenance, and dissolution; they do not belong to the ātmā.

Why did Krishna say the gunas are not of the soul in the Uddhava Gita?

To establish clear discrimination between the self and matter: the soul is conscious and transcendental, while the gunas are material forces that act within prakṛti and drive worldly change.

Practical application of being 'beyond the gunas' in modern life?

Identify moods and impulses as effects of sattva/rajas/tamas rather than as your true self, and cultivate devotion and clarity so choices are guided by spiritual identity instead of material conditioning.