FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच अथ ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्त्वानां लक्षणं पृथक् । यद्विदित्वा विमुच्येत पुरुष: प्राकृतैर्गुणै: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
atha te sampravakṣyāmi
[atha te sampravakshyaami]
tattvānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ pṛthak
[tattvaanaam lakshanam prithak]
yad viditvā vimucyeta
[yad viditvaa vimuchyeta]
puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ
[purushah praakritair gunaih]
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said atha — now te — to you sampravakṣyāmi — I shall describe tattvānām — of the categories of the Absolute Truth lakṣaṇam — the distinctive features pṛthak — one by one yat — which viditvā — knowing vimucyeta — one can be released puruṣaḥ — any person prākṛtaiḥ — of the material nature guṇaiḥ — from the modes.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
the Personality of Godhead said
atha te sampravakṣyāmi
atha
now
te
to you
sampravakṣyāmi
I shall describe
tattvānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ pṛthak
tattvānām
of the categories of the Absolute Truth
lakṣaṇam
the distinctive features
pṛthak
one by one
yad viditvā vimucyeta
yat
which
viditvā
knowing
vimucyeta
one can be released
puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ
puruṣaḥ
any person
prākṛtaiḥ
of the material nature
guṇaiḥ
from the modes.
The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature.

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, only through devotional service ( bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ). As stated in the Bhāgavatam, the object of devotional service is mām, Kṛṣṇa. And, as explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, to understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand Kṛṣṇa in His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions and His incarnations. There are many diverse departments of knowledge in understanding Kṛṣṇa. Sāṅkhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are conditioned by this material world. It is generally understood by the paramparā system, or by disciplic succession, to be the science of devotional service. Preliminary studies of devotional service have already been explained. Now the analytical study of devotional service will be explained by the Lord, who says that by such an analytical study, one becomes freed from the modes of material nature. The same assertion is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā: by understanding the Lord according to various categories, one can become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. This is also explained here. By understanding the science of devotional service in Sāṅkhya philosophy, one can become free from the modes of material nature. The eternal self, after becoming freed from the spell of material nature, becomes eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. As long as one has even a slight desire to enjoy or lord it over material nature, there is no chance of his being freed from the influence of nature’s material modes. Therefore, one has to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead analytically, as explained in the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy by Lord Kapiladeva.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord said: Now I will describe the features of the elements one by one, knowing which, a person can be freed from the guṇas of prakṛti. In the Twenty-sixth Chapter, the manifestation and characteristics of the elements such as mahat-tattva, the universal form composed of those elements, and its being brought to life by the entrance of the Lord are described. Being questioned by his mother about bhakti, jñāna and yoga, Kapila explained bhakti. His mother was fully satisfied with that. However, even persons engaged in bhakti, which reigns supreme everywhere with authority since without bhakti, karma, jñāna and yoga cannot give results of Svarga or liberation, should be inquisitive to know about karma, jñāna and yoga. Now jñāna will be discussed.
Knowledge here is not information — it is corrected vision. The verse implies that collecting more facts will not deliver the change; what is needed is a willingness to be seen and corrected. The verse anchors this in Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • What truth do you already 'know' that has not yet changed how you live?
  • Who in your life sees you clearly enough to correct you, and do you let them?
📝 My note

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