Sloka 111
Sloka 111
Original Text:
एषावृतिर्नाम तमोगुणस्य शक्तिर्मया वस्त्ववभासतेऽन्यथा । सैषा निदानं पुरुषस्य संसृतेः विक्षेपशक्तेः प्रवणस्य हेतुः ॥ ११३ ॥
Certainly! Here is the analysis of the given śloka:
- **Transliteration:**
eṣā vṛtir nāma tamo-guṇasya śaktir mayā vastv avabhāsate ’nyathā। saiṣā nidānaṁ puruṣasya saṁsṛteḥ vikṣepa-śakteḥ pravaṇasya hetuḥ॥ 113॥
- **Translation:**
This covering, known as the power of the quality of darkness (tamas), makes the reality appear otherwise. It is the cause of the transmigration of the soul and is the reason for its predisposition to delusion.
- **Word Meanings:**
* **eṣā** - this * **vṛtiḥ** - covering, modification * **nāma** - by name, named * **tamo-guṇasya** - of the quality of darkness (tamas) * **śaktiḥ** - power * **mayā** - by me * **vastu** - the real, the reality, the object * **avabhāsate** - appears, seems * **anyathā** - otherwise, different * **saiṣā** - this same one * **nidānam** - cause, root * **puruṣasya** - of the soul, of the person * **saṁsṛteḥ** - of transmigration, of the cycle of birth and death * **vikṣepa-śakteḥ** - of the projecting power * **pravaṇasya** - inclined, predisposed * **hetuḥ** - cause, reason
- **Commentary:**
This śloka delves into the concept of ignorance and illusion within Vedantic philosophy. The term 'tamo-guṇa', referring to the quality of darkness or ignorance, represents the aspect of reality that veils the true nature of things. In Vedanta, tamas is one of the three guṇas or qualities that bind the soul to the cycle of birth and death, along with rajas (activity, passion) and sattva (purity, knowledge). The 'vṛti' or covering caused by tamas distorts one's perception, leading to a misunderstanding or misapprehension of reality ('vastu').
The śloka explains how ignorance, through its covering power ('āvaraṇa śakti'), makes reality appear to us as something different ('anyathā'), which is a fundamental cause of human delusion and suffering. The soul ('puruṣa'), bound by this delusion, experiences continual transmigration or 'saṁsāra', caught in a cycle of birth and rebirth. This continuous process is also propelled by the 'vikṣepa śakti', the projecting power that manifests as desires, actions, and the multiplicity of phenomena.
The mention of 'nidānam' indicates that this ignorance is the very root cause of existence within saṁsāra, suggesting that liberation (mokṣa) can only be attained by overcoming this ignorance. This highlights the Vedantic emphasis on self-knowledge and the transcendence of guṇas as crucial steps toward realizing the ultimate truth, the non-dual Brahman. The sloka serves as a reminder of the importance of cultivating wisdom and discernment to see beyond the veils of maya (illusion) and to recognize the true nature of the self.
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