13.14 sarvEndhriyaguNAbhAsam

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 13

<< Chapter 13 verse 13

SlOkam – Original

sarvEndhriyaguNAbhAsam sarvEndhriyavivarjitham |
asaktham sarvabhruch chaiva nirguNam guNabhokthru cha ||

word-by-word meaning

sarvEndhriya guNAbhAsam – it is capable of knowing all things through actions of sense organs
sarvEndhriya vivarjitham – (in its natural state) it is capable of knowing everything even without the sense organs
asaktham – (naturally) not connected to different types of bodies such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal) and sthAvara (plant)
sarvabruth cha Eva – capable of assuming all types of bodies
nirguNam – (naturally) without the qualities such as sathva (goodness), rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance)
guNa bhOkthru cha – capable of enjoying such qualities

Simple Translation

[AthmA ] it is capable of knowing all things through actions of sense organs; (in its natural state) it is capable of knowing everything even without the sense organs; it is (naturally) not connected to different types of bodies such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal) and sthAvara (plant); it is capable of assuming all types of bodies; it is (naturally) without the qualities such as sathva (goodness), rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance); it is capable of enjoying such qualities.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Shining with all the sense-faculties, without all the senses; unaffected, assuming all; guṇa-less, guṇa-tasting.’

Shining with all sense-faculties: that which is capable of shining or functioning with all the faculties of the senses.

Sense-faculties=Sense-activities.

The meaning is that with such faculties also, it (soul) is capable of perceiving objects; but by nature, it is devoid of all senses, for without sense-faculties even, it is by its own virtue capable of knowing all.

Asaktam=unaffected, or by nature unattached to bodies such as deva etc. And yet,

Sarvabhṛit= assuming or capable of assuming all bodies such as deva etc., as declared in the Śruti:

‘He becomes unifid, becomes trifid etc.’

Nirguṇam = guṇa-less or intrinsically without the qualities such as satva etc., pertaining to matter and yet,

Guṇa-bhoktṛi=the enjoyer of the guṇas, satva etc.

>> Chapter 13 verse 15

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