FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.16.37

पृथिवी वायुराकाश आपो ज्योतिरहं महान् । विकार: पुरुषोऽव्यक्तं रज: सत्त्वं तम: परम् । अहमेतत्प्रसङ्ख्यानं ज्ञानं तत्त्वविनिश्चय: ॥ ३७ ॥
pṛthivī vāyur ākāśa
[prithivee vaayur aakaasha]
āpo jyotir ahaṁ mahān
[aapo jyotir aham mahaan]
vikāraḥ puruṣo ’vyaktaṁ
[vikaarah purusho ’vyaktam]
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaḥ param
[rajah sattvam tamah param]
aham etat prasaṅkhyānaṁ
[aham etat prasankhyaanam]
jñānaṁ tattva-viniścayaḥ
[jnaanam tattva-vinishchayah]
pṛthivī — the subtle form of earth, aroma vāyuḥ — the subtle form of air, touch ākāśaḥ — the subtle form of sky, sound āpaḥ — the subtle form of water, taste jyotiḥ — the subtle form of fire, form aham — false ego mahān — the mahat-tattva vikāraḥ — the sixteen elements (earth, water, fire, air and sky, the five working senses, the five knowledge-acquiring senses and the mind) puruṣaḥ — the living entity avyaktam — material nature, prakṛti rajaḥ — the mode of passion sattvam — the mode of goodness tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance param — the Supreme Lord aham — I am etat — this prasaṅkhyānam — all that has been enumerated jñānam — knowledge of the above-mentioned elements by individual symptoms tattva-viniścayaḥ — steady conviction, which is the fruit of knowledge.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pṛthivī vāyur ākāśa
pṛthivī
the subtle form of earth, aroma
vāyuḥ
the subtle form of air, touch
ākāśaḥ
the subtle form of sky, sound
āpo jyotir ahaṁ mahān
āpaḥ
the subtle form of water, taste
jyotiḥ
the subtle form of fire, form
aham
false ego
mahān
the mahat-tattva
vikāraḥ puruṣo ’vyaktaṁ
vikāraḥ
the sixteen elements (earth, water, fire, air and sky, the five working senses, the five knowledge-acquiring senses and the mind)
puruṣaḥ
the living entity
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaḥ param
aham etat prasaṅkhyānaṁ
jñānaṁ tattva-viniścayaḥ
avyaktam
material nature, prakṛti
rajaḥ
the mode of passion
sattvam
the mode of goodness
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance
param
the Supreme Lord
aham
I am
etat
this
prasaṅkhyānam
all that has been enumerated
jñānam
knowledge of the above-mentioned elements by individual symptoms
tattva-viniścayaḥ
steady conviction, which is the fruit of knowledge.
I am form, taste, aroma, touch and sound; false ego; the mahat-tattva; earth, water, fire, air and sky; the living entity; material nature; the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; and the transcendental Lord. All these items, along with knowledge of their individual symptoms and the steady conviction that results from this knowledge, represent Me.

Having given a brief but detailed synopsis of His personal opulences within this world, the Lord now briefly summarizes the opulences that expand from His bodily effulgence. It is stated in Brahma-saṁhitā that all of the material universes with their infinite varieties, transformations and opulences rest on the bodily effulgence of the Lord. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has elaborately explained this point in his commentary on this verse.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I am form, taste, aroma, touch and sound; ahaṅkāra; the mahat-tattva; earth, water, fire, air and sky; the eleven senses; the living entity; prakṛti; the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; and Brahman. I am all of these items, along with knowledge of them, and the determination of truth resulting from that knowledge. Having indicated vibhūtis by showing the best of a group or the key element in a relationship, again the Lord describes them all in general, in two and half verses. The list of elements indicates the tan-mātras. Aham is ahaṅkāra. Mahān is mahat-tattva. These seven are the modifications of prakṛti. The transformation (vikāraḥ) refers to the five gross elements and the eleven senses. This makes sixteen. Puruṣaḥ refers to the jīva. Avyaktam is prakṛti. The total is now twenty-five elements. It is said: mūla-prakṛtir avikṛtir mahad-ādyāḥ prakṛti-vikṛtayaḥ sapta | ṣoḍaśakaś ca vikāro na prakṛtir na vikṛtiḥ puruṣaḥ || Mūla-prakṛti is unchanged. Transformations of prakṛti are seven (mahat-tattva, ahaṅkāra and five tan-mātras), which further transform into sixteen (five gross elements and eleven senses). Prakṛti remains separate and puruṣa do not transform. Sāṅkhya-kārikā by Īśvara-kṛṣṇa I am also the guṇas of prakṛti known as rajas, tamas and sattva and I am Brahman (param). I am everything. I am the knowledge of these enumerated elements and the result, determination of truth.
He is form, taste, aroma, touch, sound; false ego; mahat-tattva; the five gross elements; the living entity; nature; the three modes; and the transcendental Lord — plus knowledge of all these. He is total scope.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I keep the Lord small in my thinking when the scripture keeps making Him this large?
  • What practice helps me expand my conception?
📝 My note

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