Shloka 2

Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

प्रवृत्तिलक्षणश्चैव त्रैगुण्यविषयो मुने । योऽसावलीनप्रकृतेर्गुणसर्ग: पुन: पुन: ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

pravṛtti-lakṣaṇaś caiva traiguṇya-viṣayo mune yo ’sāv alīna-prakṛter guṇa-sargaḥ punaḥ punaḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền triết, pravṛtti-mārga là con đường thuộc phạm vi ba guṇa. Khi chúng sinh còn chìm trong prakṛti, sự tạo tác bởi các guṇa cứ lặp đi lặp lại; linh hồn nhận nhiều thân khác nhau để hưởng hay chịu, rồi theo khuynh hướng của thân ấy mà đi trên đường pravṛtti.

Synonyms

• pravṛtti-lakṣaṇaḥ: characterized by worldly activity
• pravṛtti-lakṣaṇaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravṛtti + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्रवृत्तेः लक्षणम् यस्य

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• traiguṇya-viṣayaḥ: having the three guṇas as its object
• traiguṇya-viṣayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: traiguṇya + viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: त्रैगुण्यस्य विषयः

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaḥ: which/that (path)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• asau: that
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• alīna-prakṛteḥ: of the unmerged material nature
• alīna-prakṛteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alīna + prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: अलीना प्रकृतिः (not merged/undissolved nature)

• guṇa-sargaḥ: the creation/emanation of the guṇas
• guṇa-sargaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa + sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गुणानां सर्गः

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kala/Avyaya (काल/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (पुनरावृत्ति)

• punaḥ: again and again
• punaḥ: Kala/Avyaya (काल/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (पुनरावृत्ति)

Purport

As Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25) :

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about pravritti (worldly life) and the three gunas?

This verse states that pravritti—materially motivated engagement—moves within the three gunas and repeatedly expresses their influence, keeping the conditioned soul within cyclical material patterns.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami describe the triguna nature of pravritti to King Parikshit?

In the opening of the Ajamila episode, Śukadeva frames how sinful and pious actions arise from material modes, setting the philosophical basis for discussing bondage, atonement, and the power of devotion.

How can I apply the teaching of triguna-driven pravritti in modern life?

Notice how choices are pulled by goodness, passion, or ignorance, and deliberately shift from mode-driven habits toward sādhana and devotion—so actions become less binding and more spiritually directed.