SB 12.4.27 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.4.27

सत्यं ह्यवयव: प्रोक्त: सर्वावयविनामिह । विनार्थेन प्रतीयेरन् पटस्येवाङ्ग तन्तव: ॥ २७ ॥

satyaṁ hy avayavaḥ proktaḥ

[satyam hy avayavah proktah]

sarvāvayavinām iha

[sarvaavayavinaam iha]

vinārthena pratīyeran

[vinaarthena prateeyeran]

paṭasyevāṅga tantavaḥ

[patasyevaanga tantavah]

Word-for-word

satyam — real hi — because avayavaḥ — the ingredient cause proktaḥ — is said to be sarva-avayavinām — of all constituted entities iha — in this created world vinā — apart from arthena — their manifest product pratīyeran — they can be perceived paṭasya — of a cloth iva — as aṅga — my dear King tantavaḥ — the threads.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

satyaṁ hy avayavaḥ proktaḥ

satyam

real

because

avayavaḥ

the ingredient cause

proktaḥ

is said to be

sarvāvayavinām iha

sarva-avayavinām

of all constituted entities

iha

in this created world

vinārthena pratīyeran

vinā

apart from

arthena

their manifest product

pratīyeran

they can be perceived

paṭasyevāṅga tantavaḥ

paṭasya

of a cloth

iva

aṅga

my dear King

tantavaḥ

the threads.

My dear King, it is stated [in the Vedānta-sūtra] that the ingredient cause that constitutes any manifested product in this universe can be perceived as a separate reality, just as the threads that make up a cloth can be perceived separately from their product.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

O King! The cause of the universe is said to be factual since the cause is perceived to have a separate existence from the universe, just threads of a cloth are separate form the cloth. The cause (Brahman) of the parts (universe) is shown to be factual in this world, O King, since even without the parts, the cause is perceived separately, just as the threads of a cloth are perceived separate from the cloth. This has been stated in the Seventh Canto: kārya-kāraṇa-vastv-aikya-darśanaṁ paṭa-tantuvat avastutvād vikalpasya bhāvādvaitaṁ tad ucyate Non-difference of conception is seeing the effect and the cause as one, like threads related to a cloth, since all these are unreal, arising from misconception.

Personal Guidance

Threads can be perceived apart from the cloth. The cause has its own reality, distinct from its products. Behind every visible effect in our lives stands a cause we can know directly — and ultimately, the Cause of all causes.

Reflection Questions

Am I caught at the level of effects, or do I trace events back to their causes?
What practice helps me trace life back, gently, to the Lord behind everything?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io