SB 11.22.12 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.22.12

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

prakṛtir guṇa-sāmyaṁ vai

[prakritir guna-saamyam vai]

prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ

[prakriter naatmano gunaah]

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti

[sattvam rajas tama iti]

sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ

[sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavah]

Word-for-word

prakṛtiḥ — material nature guṇa — of the three modes sāmyam — the original equilibrium vai — indeed prakṛteḥ — of nature na ātmanaḥ — not of the spirit soul guṇāḥ — these modes sattvam — goodness rajaḥ — passion tamaḥ — ignorance iti — thus called sthiti — of the maintenance of universal creation utpatti — its production anta — and its annihilation hetavaḥ — the causes.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

prakṛtir guṇa-sāmyaṁ vai

prakṛtiḥ

material nature

guṇa

of the three modes

sāmyam

the original equilibrium

vai

indeed

prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ

prakṛteḥ

of nature

na ātmanaḥ

not of the spirit soul

guṇāḥ

these modes

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti

sattvam

goodness

rajaḥ

passion

tamaḥ

ignorance

iti

thus called

sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ

sthiti

of the maintenance of universal creation

utpatti

its production

anta

and its annihilation

hetavaḥ

the causes.

Nature exists originally as the equilibrium of the three material modes, which pertain only to nature, not to the transcendental spirit soul. These modes — goodness, passion and ignorance — are the effective causes of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe.

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) it is stated:

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.”

The three modes of nature, in their original state of equilibrium, as well as the subsequent creation generated from the modes, are vastly more powerful than the tiny living entity who is controlled by them. The living entity thus cannot be accepted as the actual doer or creator within the material world. The mode of goodness is symptomized by the experience of knowledge, the mode of passion by the experience of work, and the mode of ignorance by the experience of darkness. These modes of material knowledge, work and darkness have no real relation with the transcendental spirit soul, who exhibits his own qualities of eternality, bliss and knowledge (the sandhinī, saṁvit and hlādinī potencies of the Supreme Lord). The material modes have no access within the kingdom of God, in the unbounded atmosphere of which the eternal living entity is meant to live.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Prakṛti is the equilibrium of the guṇas. The guṇas belong to prakṛti, not the jīva. These modes—goodness, passion and ignorance—are the causes of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe, and thus cannot inhere in the eternal jīva. “But it is well known that jñāna is the nature of the jīva. Why do you say that it arises from the guṇas of prakṛti? The jīva performs action and has ignorance. The knowledge, action and ignorance belong to the jīva, not to prakṛti or to the Lord. These items should be included in the jīva. Otherwise the number of elements will increase.” Prakṛti is the equilibrium of the guṇas. The guṇas belong to prakṛti, not to the jīva. These guṇas are the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction. It would be contradictory to say that the jīva is the shelter of creation and destruction.

Personal Guidance

Nature exists originally as equilibrium of three modes, which belong only to nature, not the spirit soul; these modes are effective causes of creation, maintenance, destruction. Soul is not made of modes.

Reflection Questions

Where do I identify my essence with mode-features?
What practice points beyond modes to soul?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io