Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 31

Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology

Devanagari script

पाषण्डपथवैषम्यं प्रतिलोमनिवेशनम् । जीवस्य गतयो याश्च यावतीर्गुणकर्मजा: ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

pāṣaṇḍa-patha-vaiṣamyaṁ pratiloma-niveśanam jīvasya gatayo yāś ca yāvatīr guṇa-karmajāḥ

Translation

也请描述无信的帕善达（pāṣaṇḍa）之道的缺失与自相矛盾，所谓“逆婚”pratiloma（种姓混杂）的情形，以及众生依其三德（guṇa）与业（karma）在诸种生类中的迁流。

Synonyms

• pāṣaṇḍa-patha-vaiṣamyam: the irregularity/inequality of the heretical path
• pāṣaṇḍa-patha-vaiṣamyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṣaṇḍa + patha + vaiṣamya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Ekavacana (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश-तत्पुरुष (pāṣaṇḍānāṁ pathaḥ → pāṣaṇḍa-patha; pāṣaṇḍa-patha-sya vaiṣamyam)

• pratiloma-niveśanam: the contrary/irregular placement (inversion)
• pratiloma-niveśanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiloma + niveśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Ekavacana (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (pratilomaṁ niveśanam)

• jīvasya: of the living being
• jīvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/6th Genitive), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• gatayaḥ: the courses/destinies
• gatayaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• yāḥ: which
• yāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); relative pronoun (यत्-शब्द)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात/Conjunction)

• yāvatīḥ: as many as; all (of that extent)
• yāvatīḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); parimāṇa-vācaka (परिमाणवाचक)

• guṇa-karma-jāḥ: born of the modes and actions
• guṇa-karma-jāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa + karma + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); समासः—द्वन्द्व (guṇa+karma) ततः पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (guṇa-karmebhyaḥ/guṇa-karmayoḥ jāḥ = ‘born of’)

Purport

The combination of living entities in different modes of material nature is called crossbreeding. The faithless atheists do not believe in the existence of God, and thus their paths of philosophy are contradictory. Atheistic philosophies never agree with one another. Different species of life are evidence of varieties of mixtures of the modes of material nature.

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Maitreya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about different destinations of the jiva?

This verse asks to describe all the jīva’s various courses and destinations, which arise from association with the modes of nature and from one’s karma.

Why did Vidura ask Maitreya about impious and conflicting paths?

Vidura seeks a clear, authoritative explanation of why people follow distorted, irreligious paths and why living beings end up in contrary circumstances—so the workings of dharma, karma, and the guṇas can be properly understood.

Practical application of guna and karma teaching in modern life?

Observe how choices shape character (guṇa) and consequences (karma), and deliberately cultivate sattva—truthfulness, compassion, self-control—while taking shelter of devotional hearing to transcend the modes.