SB 12.4.20-21 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.4.20-21

न यत्र वाचो न मनो न सत्त्वं तमो रजो वा महदादयोऽमी । न प्राणबुद्धीन्द्रियदेवता वा न सन्निवेश: खलु लोककल्प: ॥ २० ॥ न स्वप्नजाग्रन्न च तत् सुषुप्तं न खं जलं भूरनिलोऽग्निरर्क: । संसुप्तवच्छून्यवदप्रतर्क्यं तन्मूलभूतं पदमामनन्ति ॥ २१ ॥

na yatra vāco na mano na sattvaṁ

[na yatra vaacho na mano na sattvam]

tamo rajo vā mahad-ādayo ’mī

[tamo rajo vaa mahad-aadayo ’mee]

na prāṇa-buddhīndriya-devatā vā

[na praana-buddheendriya-devataa vaa]

na sanniveśaḥ khalu loka-kalpaḥ

[na sanniveshah khalu loka-kalpah]

na svapna-jāgran na ca tat suṣuptaṁ

[na svapna-jaagran na cha tat sushuptam]

na khaṁ jalaṁ bhūr anilo ’gnir arkaḥ

[na kham jalam bhoor anilo ’gnir arkah]

saṁsupta-vac chūnya-vad apratarkyaṁ

[samsupta-vach choonya-vad apratarkyam]

tan mūla-bhūtaṁ padam āmananti

[tan moola-bhootam padam aamananti]

Word-for-word

na — not yatra — wherein vācaḥ — speech na — not manaḥ — the mind na — not sattvam — the mode of goodness tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance rajaḥ — the mode of passion vā — or mahat — the mahat-tattva ādayaḥ — and so on amī — these elements na — not prāṇa — the vital air buddhi — intelligence indriya — the senses devatāḥ — and the controlling demigods vā — or na — not sanniveśaḥ — the particular construction khalu — indeed loka-kalpaḥ — of the arrangement of the planetary systems na — not svapna — sleep jāgrat — waking condition na — not ca — and tat — that suṣuptam — deep sleep na — not kham — ether jalam — water bhūḥ — earth anilaḥ — air agniḥ — fire arkaḥ — the sun saṁsupta-vat — like one who is fast asleep śūnya-vat — like a void apratarkyam — inaccessible to logic tat — that pradhāna mūla-bhūtam — serving as the basis padam — the substance āmananti — great authorities say.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

na yatra vāco na mano na sattvaṁ

not

yatra

wherein

vācaḥ

speech

not

manaḥ

the mind

not

sattvam

the mode of goodness

tamo rajo vā mahad-ādayo ’mī

tamaḥ

the mode of ignorance

rajaḥ

the mode of passion

vā

mahat

the mahat-tattva

ādayaḥ

and so on

na prāṇa-buddhīndriya-devatā vā

na sanniveśaḥ khalu loka-kalpaḥ

na svapna-jāgran na ca tat suṣuptaṁ

amī

these elements

na khaṁ jalaṁ bhūr anilo ’gnir arkaḥ

not

saṁsupta-vac chūnya-vad apratarkyaṁ

prāṇa

the vital air

buddhi

intelligence

indriya

the senses

devatāḥ

and the controlling demigods

vā

tan mūla-bhūtaṁ padam āmananti

not

sanniveśaḥ

the particular construction

khalu

indeed

loka-kalpaḥ

of the arrangement of the planetary systems

not

svapna

sleep

jāgrat

waking condition

not

and

tat

that

suṣuptam

deep sleep

not

kham

ether

jalam

water

bhūḥ

earth

anilaḥ

air

agniḥ

fire

arkaḥ

the sun

saṁsupta-vat

like one who is fast asleep

śūnya-vat

like a void

apratarkyam

inaccessible to logic

tat

that pradhāna

mūla-bhūtam

serving as the basis

padam

the substance

āmananti

great authorities say.

In the unmanifest stage of material nature, called pradhāna, there is no expression of words, no mind and no manifestation of the subtle elements beginning from the mahat, nor are there the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. There is no life air or intelligence, nor any senses or demigods. There is no definite arrangement of planetary systems, nor are there present the different stages of consciousness — sleep, wakefulness and deep sleep. There is no ether, water, earth, air, fire or sun. The situation is just like that of complete sleep, or of voidness. Indeed, it is indescribable. Authorities in spiritual science explain, however, that since pradhāna is the original substance, it is the actual basis of material creation.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

In pradhāna, there is no expression of words, no mind and no manifestation of the subtle elements beginning from the mahat-tattva, nor are there the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. There is no life air or intelligence, nor any senses or devatās. There is no arrangement of planetary systems, nor are there present the different stages of consciousness—sleep, wakefulness and deep sleep. There is no ether, water, earth, air, fire or sun. The situation is just like that of complete sleep or of voidness. It is indescribable. Authorities in spiritual science explain, however, that since pradhāna is the original substance, it is the basis of material creation. Two verses explain how prakṛti has no transformations like objects we perceive with passion and other qualities. Loka-kalpaḥ means that there is no construction of planets.

Personal Guidance

Pradhana has no words, no mind, no modes, no senses, not even waking or sleep — only an indescribable substratum. The verse points beyond every category our mind constructs, toward the silent ground in which all categories arise.

Reflection Questions

Have I ever tasted, even briefly, an awareness beyond labeling?
What invites me back to that quiet ground in the middle of a busy day?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io