श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् एकादश: स्कन्ध: चतुर्विंश: अध्याय: श्री भगवान् उवाच - The Lord said - अथ ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि सांख्यं पूर्वैर्विनिश्चितम् ।
यद् विज्ञाय पुमान् सद्यो जह्याद् वैकल्पिकं भ्रमम् ॥१॥
अथ ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि now to you will explain I
सांख्यम् पूर्वै:-विनिश्चितम् Saankhya by the ancients ascertained यत् विज्ञाय पुमान् सद्य: which by knowing, a person, soon जह्यात् वैकल्पिकम् भ्रमम् shakes off the opposites' delusion Now I will explain to you the principle of Saankhya, ascertained by the ancients, by knowing which, a man soon shakes off his delusion of the opposites and the differentiation of the other from his own self.


आसीज्ज्ञानमथो ह्यर्थ एकमेवाविकल्पितम् ।
यदा विवेकनिपुणा आदौ कृतयुगेऽयुगे ॥२॥
आसीत्-ज्ञानम्-अथ: हि-अर्थ was there, the knowledge, then, indeed, consciousness
एकम्-एव-अविकल्पितम् one absolutely undifferentiated यदा विवेक-निपुणा: when in discrimination experts आदौ कृत-युगे-अयुगे in the beginning, in Sat-Yuga, and at dissolution At the time of dissolution, in the beginning of Satyuga, when there were men who were experts in discriminative knowledge, there was the knowledge of the undifferentiated, The One Absolute Consciousness.


तन्मायाफलरूपेण केवलं निर्विकल्पितम् ।
वाङ्मनोऽगोचरं सत्यं द्विधा समभवद्बृहत् ॥३॥
तत्-माया-फल-रूपेण That, (Brahman) Maayaa, as (Jiva) the result form
केवलम् निर्विकल्पितम् alone, undifferentiated, वाक्-मन:-अगोचरम् सत्यम् from speech mind unperceived, The Truth, द्विधा समभवत्-बृहत् in twos became, the Brahman That Brahman alone, undifferentiated The Truth, unperceived by speech and mind, became dual, as Maayaa, resulting in the form of Jiva.


तयोरेकतरो ह्यर्थ: प्रकृति: सोभयात्मिका ।
ज्ञानं त्वन्यतमो भाव: पुरुष: सोऽभिधीयते ॥४॥
तयो:-एकतर: हि-अर्थ: of the two, one indeed substance
प्रकृति: सा-उभय-आत्मिका is Prakriti, that is of two aspects ज्ञानम् तु-अन्यतम: भाव: consciousness whereas, is another entity पुरुष: स:-अभिधीयते Purush that is called Of the two, one substance is Prakriti, which has two aspects, whereas, the other entity is consciousness, which is known as Purusha.


तमो रज: सत्त्वमिति प्रकृतेरभवन् गुणा: ।
मया प्रक्षोभ्यमाणाया: पुरुषानुमतेन च ॥५॥
तम: रज: सत्त्वम्-इति Tamas, Rajas, Sattva, these
प्रकृते:-अभवन् गुणा: of Prakriti were the Gunas, मया प्रक्षोभ्यमाणाया: by Me disturbed equilibrium पुरुष-अनुमतेन च by the Jiva, motivated (by their Karma) Then there were the three Gunas of Prakriti, Tamas, Rajas, Sattva, whose equilibrium was disturbed by Me, motivated by the Karmas of Jiva.


तेभ्य: समभवत् सूत्रं महान् सूत्रेण संयुत: ।
ततो विकुर्वतो जातोऽहङ्कारो यो विमोहन: ॥६॥
तेभ्य: समभवत् सूत्रम् from them came forth the Sutras (principles)
महान् सूत्रेण संयुत: Mahat Sutras in conjunction with तत: विकुर्वत: जात:- from that on modification happening, अहङ्कार: य: विमोहन: Ahankaara, (Ego) which is deluding From the three Gunas, came forth the principles of cosmic activity and the Mahat principles of cosmic intelligence, from that, on modification taking place, there appeared Ahankaara, (Ego) which is deluding.


वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिवृत् ।
तन्मात्रेन्द्रियमनसां कारणं चिदचिन्मय: ॥७॥
वैकारिक:-तैजस:-च Saatvic, Taijasika and
तामस:-च-इति-अहम् त्रिवृत् Taamasika, and thus, Ahankaara is three types तन्मात्र-इन्द्रिय-मनसाम् of the Tan-maatras, Indriyas, and Manas (mind) कारणम् चित्-अचिन्मय: is the cause, which is spiritual and material The Ahankaara is of three types, Saatvic, Taijasika and Taamasika, thus, which is the cause of the Tan-maatras, Indriyas and the mind, which is both spiritual and material.


अर्थस्तन्मात्रिकाञ्जज्ञे तामसादिन्द्रियाणि च ।
तैजसाद् देवता आसन्नेकादश च वैकृतात् ॥८॥
अर्थ:-तन्मात्रिकात्-जज्ञे the elements from the Tan-maatras came into being,
तामसात्-इन्द्रियाणि च from the Tamasa, the Indriyas and, तैजसात् देवता आसन्- from Taijasa, the gods came to be, एकादश च वैकृतात् the eleven and from the Saatvic The five gross elements came into being from the Tan-maatras, the Taamasika Ahankaara, the Indriyas came from the Taijasika Ahankaara, and the eleven deities of presiding over the Indriyas came to be from the Saatvic Ahankaara.


मया सञ्चोदिता भावा: सर्वे संहत्यकारिण: ।
अण्डमुत्पादयामासुर्ममायतनमुत्तमम् ॥९॥
मया सञ्चोदिता: भावा: by Me energized, the categories
सर्वे संहत्य-कारिण: all mutually came together अण्डम्-उत्पादयामासु:- the cosmic egg evolved मम-आयतनम्-उत्तमम् My ground the excellent Energized and made operative by Me, all the categories mutually came together and evolved the cosmic egg, which became the excellent ground for My sporting (creation).


तस्मिन्नहं समभवमण्डे सलिलसंस्थितौ ।
मम नाभ्यामभूत् पद्मं विश्वाख्यं तत्र चात्मभू: ॥१०॥
तस्मिन्-अहम् समभवम्-अण्डे in that I appeared in the egg,
सलिल-संस्थितौ in the waters placed, मम नाभ्याम्-अभूत् पद्मम् in My navel sprang lotus विश्व-आख्यम् तत्र च-आत्मभू: the universe called, there and the Self-born In that egg, which was placed on the waters, I appeared, and from My navel sprang the Lotus, called the universe, and there came into being, The Self-born, Brahmaa.


सोऽसृजत्तपसा युक्तो रजसा मदनुग्रहात् ।
लोकान् सपालान् विश्वात्मा भूर्भुव: स्वरिति त्रिधा ॥११॥
स:-असृजत्-तपसा युक्त: He created, by austerities equipped
रजसा मत्-अनुग्रहात् by Rajas, by My grace, लोकान् सपालान् विश्वात्मा the spheres, with guardians, Of universe the soul, भू:-भुव: स्व:-इति त्रिधा Bhoorloka, Bhuva loka, Swarloka thus three types He, The universal Soul, equipped with austerities, by My grace and with the activity principle Rajas, created the three types of spheres, along with their guardians, the Bhoorloka, the Bhuva loka, and the Swarloka.


देवानामोक आसीत् स्वर्भूतानां च भुव: पदम् ।
मर्त्यादीनां च भूर्लोक: सिद्धानां त्रितयात् परम् ॥१२॥
देवानाम्-ओक: आसीत् स्व:- of the deities, abode was Swarloka,
भूतानाम् च भुव: पदम् of the spirits and Bhuva loka, मर्त्य-आदीनाम् च भू:-लोक: of the mortals and other beings and Bhoorloka सिद्धानाम् त्रितयात् परम् of the Siddhas of the three beyond The abode of the deities was Swarloka, of the spirits was the Bhuva loka, and of the mortals and other living beings was the Bhoorloka, and of the Siddhas, was the loka beyond these three lokas.


अधोऽसुराणां नागानां भूमेरोकोऽसृजत् प्रभु: ।
त्रिलोक्यां गतय: सर्वा: कर्माणां त्रिगुणात्मनाम् ॥१३॥
अध:-असुराणाम् नागानाम् underground, for the Asuras Naagas,
भूमे:-एक:-असृजत् प्रभु: of the earth one created the Ruler of the universe त्रिलोक्याम् गतय: सर्वा: in the three spheres were the destinies all कर्माणाम् त्रिगुण-आत्मनाम् of the Karmas the three Gunas prompted by The Ruler of the universe, created a home for the Asuras and the Naagas in the underground of the earth. The three spheres take care of the destinies of the Karmas prompted by the three Gunas.


योगस्य तपसश्चैव न्यासस्य गतयोऽमला: ।
महर्जनस्तप: सत्यं भक्तियोगस्य मद्गतिम् ॥१४॥
योगस्य तपस:-च-एव of the Yoga, austerities, and also
न्यासस्य गतय:-अमला: of Sanyaas the goals are pure, मह:-जन:-तप: सत्यम् to Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka, Satyaloka, भक्ति-योगस्य मत्-गतिम् of Bhakti yoga, the goal is My realm The goals of those pursuing the path of Yoga, austerities, and Sanyaasa, are pure and lead to Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka, Satyaloka, where as the path of Bhakti, devotion, leads to My own realm.


मया कालात्मना धात्रा कर्मयुक्तमिदं जगत् ।
गुणप्रवाह एतस्मिन्नुन्मज्जति निमञ्जति ॥१५॥
मया काल-आत्मना धात्रा by Me, in Time form, The Giver
कर्म-युक्तम्-इदम् जगत् of Karma including this universe, गुण-प्रवाह एतस्मिन्- in the Gunas' flow this, उन्मज्जति निमञ्जति ascends and descends This universe is inclusive of the Karma and the results. I as Time Spirit disown the fruits of the Karmas, which ascend and descend in the flow of the Gunas.


अणुर्बृहत् कृश: स्थूलो यो यो भाव: प्रसिध्यति ।
सर्वोऽप्युभयसंयुक्त: प्रकृत्या पुरुषेण च ॥१६॥
अणु:-बृहत् कृश: स्थूल: minute, large, lean, stout,
य: य: भाव: प्रसिध्यति all those entities, come into being, सर्व:-अपि-उभय-संयुक्त: all also, by both are pervaded प्रकृत्या पुरुषेण च by Prakriti and Purusha In this universe whichever entities come into being, minute, large, lean, stout, all of them are pervaded by both, Prakriti and Purusha.


यस्तु यस्यादिरन्तश्च स वै मध्यं च तस्य सन् ।
विकारो व्यवहारार्थो यथा तैजसपार्थिवा: ॥१७॥
य:-तु यस्य-आदि:-अन्त:-च that which indeed of which is beginning end and
स: वै मध्यम् च तस्य सन् that even the middle and of it is विकार: व्यवहार-अर्थ: modification practical use like यथा तैजस-पार्थिवा: like of gold, clay Of which, a thing, that which is the beginning, the end and even the middle, that alone is real. The modifications are for practical purposes, like that of gold and of clay.


यदुपादाय पूर्वस्तु भावो विकुरुतेऽपरम् ।
आदिरन्तो यदा यस्य तत् सत्यमभिधीयते ॥१८॥
यत्-उपादाय पूर्व:-तु भाव: which as the basis, the former indeed entity
विकुरुते-अपरम् is modified as the later आदि:-अन्त: यदा यस्य the beginning and end of when of which तत् सत्यम्-अभिधीयते that the real is considered That former entity, taking which as the basis, the latter is modified into, is real. That which in the beginning and in the end is the same, is considered the real.


प्रकृतिर्ह्यस्योपादानमाधार: पुरुष: पर: ।
सतोऽभिव्यञ्जक: कालो ब्रह्म तत्त्रितयं त्वहम् ॥१९॥
प्रकृति:-हि-यस्य-उपादानम्- Prakriti, indeed, whose (of universe) cause
आधार: पुरुष: पर: the basis Purusha Supreme सत:-अभिव्यञ्जक: काल: the Real projector Time, ब्रह्म तत्-त्रितयम् तु-अहम् Brahman, the three, indeed am I Prakriti, which is the cause of the universe, the basis of which is the Supreme Person, and Time which is the projector of the Truth, all the three are Brahman, that is I, The Infinite.


सर्ग: प्रवर्तते तावत् पौर्वापर्येण नित्यश: ।
महान् गुणविसर्गार्थ: स्थित्यन्तो यावदीक्षणम् ॥२०॥
सर्ग: प्रवर्तते तावत् creation continues till
पौर्व-अपर्येण नित्यश: by the cause effect order, continuously महान् गुण-विसर्ग-अर्थ: for the Jiva's by Gunas 'changes, purpose, स्थिति-अन्त: यावत्-ईक्षणम् the preservation's end, until the sight (remains) The creation continuously continues, by the order of cause and effect, for the purpose of the changes of the Gunas in the Jivas, till the preservation ends or the blessed glance of The Lord is there.


विराण्मयाऽऽसाद्यमानो लोककल्पविकल्पक: ।
पञ्चत्वाय विशेषाय कल्पते भुवनै: सह ॥२१॥
विराट्-मया-आसाद्यमान: by The colossal (Time) Me coming in contact
लोक-कल्प-विकल्पक: the egg, creation destruction inclusive of पञ्चत्वाय विशेषाय for in five elements (disintegrating) specially कल्पते भुवनै: सह becomes fit, the worlds, along with This egg, with its nature of creation and destruction, when comes in contact with, or is glanced by Me, The colossal Time spirit, specially becomes fit for disintegration into the five elements, along with the other worlds in it.


अन्ने प्रलीयते मर्त्यमन्नं धानासु लीयते ।
धाना भूमौ प्रलीयन्ते भूमिर्गन्धे प्रलीयते ॥२२॥
अन्ने प्रलीयते मर्त्यम्- in food withdraws the mortal (creation)
अन्नम् धानासु लीयते food in the grains submerges, धाना: भूमौ प्रलीयन्ते grains in the earth are merged, भूमि:-गन्धे प्रलीयते and earth in odour is reduced When the creation is disintegrated into the five elements, the mortal creation is withdrawn into the food, the food gets submerged into the seeds and the seeds get merged in the earth, and the earth is reduced to odour.


अप्सु प्रलीयते गन्ध आपश्च स्वगुणे रसे ।
लीयते ज्योतिषि रसो ज्योती रूपे प्रलीयते ॥२३॥
अप्सु प्रलीयते गन्ध: in water (the element) merges odour,
आप:-च स्व-गुणे रसे water into own property, taste, लीयते ज्योतिषि रस: is merged into fire the taste, ज्योती रूपे प्रलीयते fire into colour is reduced to The odour merges into the element water, water withdraws into its own property, taste, taste merges into the element of fire, and fire is reduced to colour.


रूपं वायौ स च स्पर्शे लीयते सोऽपि चाम्बरे ।
अम्बरं शब्दतन्मात्र इन्द्रियाणि स्वयोनिषु ॥२४॥
रूपम् वायौ स: च स्पर्शे लीयते colour in air that and in touch merges,
स:-अपि च-अम्बरे that also and in ether, अम्बरम् शब्द-तन्मात्रे ether into sound, the Tanmaatras इन्द्रियाणि स्व-योनिषु the Indriyas, in own causes Colour is merged into the air and air gets merged in touch, touch then is swallowed by the Tanmaatras ether, and the Indriyas are merged in their respective causes, the Raajasic Ahankaara, and in their presiding deities…


योनिर्वैकारिके सौम्य लीयते मनसीश्वरे ।
शब्दो भूतादिमप्येति भूतादिर्महति प्रभु: ॥२५॥
योनि:-वैकारिके सौम्य the causes, (gods) in Saatvic, O Gentle One!
लीयते मनसि-ईश्वरे merges in mind the Controller, शब्द: भूत-आदिम्-अप्येति sound in the elements goes to भूत-आदि:-महति प्रभु: the elements in Mahat-tatva O Gentle One! The causes, the gods, of the Indriyas merge into the Saatvic Ahankaara, the mind, their controller. Sound goes into the Taamasika Ahankaara, the elements, and the elements into Mahat-tatva, the principle of cosmic intelligence.


स लीयते महान् स्वेषु गुणेषु गुणवत्तम: ।
तेऽव्यक्ते संप्रलीयन्ते तत् काले लीयतेऽव्यये ॥२६॥
स: लीयते महान् that, merges Mahat-tatva,
स्वेषु गुणेषु गुणवत्तम: in own Gunas, the powerful ते-अव्यक्ते संप्रलीयन्ते they in The Unmanifest, are well merged तत् काले लीयते-अव्यये that into Time merges, in the imperishable That Mahat-tatva, the powerful endowed with the potencies of Knowledge and Activity, gets merged in the three Gunas, the Gunas get well merged into The Unmanifest, Prakriti, that is then merged into the imperishable Time Spirit,….


कालो मायामये जीवे जीव आत्मनि मय्यजे ।
आत्मा केवल आत्मस्थो विकल्पापायलक्षण: ॥२७॥
काल: मायामये जीवे Time in the Director of Maayaa the Cosmic Person,
जीव आत्मनि मयि-अजे Cosmic Person in The Spirit, Me The Birthless, आत्मा केवल आत्मस्थ: the Spirit is by Itself, in own Spirit placed विकल्प-अपाय-लक्षण: creation and dissolution indicated by Time merges in The Cosmic Person, The Director of Maaya, The Cosmic Person merges into Me, The Birthless. The Spirit, which stands by Itself, and is placed into Itself, is indicated by the creation and dissolution of the universe, and does not merge in any entity.


एवमन्वीक्षमाणस्य कथं वैकल्पिको भ्रम: ।
मनसो हृदि तिष्ठेत व्योम्नीवार्कोदये तम: ॥२८॥
एवम्-अन्वीक्षमाणस्य in this manner observing, for the one,
कथम् वैकल्पिक: भ्रम: where is of difference the delusion मनस: हृदि तिष्ठेत in mind and heart may remain, व्योम्नि-इव-अर्क-उदये तम: in the sky like on sunrise, darkness In the heart and mind of the one who observes in this manner, how can there be the delusion caused by the misconception of differences? No more than the darkness in the sky at Sun-rise.


एष सांख्यविधि: प्रोक्त: संशयग्रन्थिभेदन: ।
प्रतिलोमानुलोमाभ्यां परावरदृशा मया ॥२९॥
एष: सांख्य-विधि: प्रोक्त: this is the Saankhya System explained
संशय-ग्रन्थि-भेदन: the doubt knot cutter, प्रतिलोम-अनुलोमाभ्याम् from creation to dissolution and vice versa, पर-अवर-दृशा मया by the cause and effect Knower Me This is the Saankhya System, the knowledge cutting the knot of doubt, from creation to dissolution, explained by Me, The Knower of cause and effect.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां एकादश स्कन्धे चतुर्विंश: अध्याय: ॥२४॥
Thus ends the twenty-fourth discourse in Book Eleven of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.