SB 10.24.22
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 22
- sattvaṁ rajas tama iti
- sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ
- rajasotpadyate viśvam
- anyonyaṁ vividhaṁ jagat
SYNONYMS
sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — and ignorance; iti — thus; sthiti — of maintenance; utpatti — creation; anta — and destruction; hetavaḥ — the causes; rajasā — by the mode of passion; utpadyate — is generated; viśvam — this universe; anyonyam — by combination of male and female; vividham — becomes variegated; jagat — the world.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
The causes of creation, maintenance and destruction are the three modes of nature—namely goodness, passion and ignorance. In particular, the mode of passion creates this universe and through sexual combination causes it to become full of variety.
PURPORT
Anticipating the possible objection that a livelihood based on cows certainly depends on Lord Indra, who supplies rain, Lord Kṛṣṇa here introduces a mechanistic theory of existence known as atheistic Sāṅkhya. The tendency to attribute exclusive causality to the apparently mechanistic functions of nature is an old tendency indeed. Five thousand years ago Lord Kṛṣṇa referred to a doctrine already well known in human society.