Devanagari
तामाहुस्त्रिगुणव्यक्तिं सृजन्तीं विश्वतोमुखम् ।
यस्मिन् प्रोतमिदं विश्वं येन संसरते पुमान् ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
tām āhus tri-guṇa-vyaktiṁ
sṛjantīṁ viśvato-mukham
yasmin protam idaṁ viśvaṁ
yena saṁsarate pumān
Synonyms
tām
—
the mahat-tattva
;
āhuḥ
—
they say
;
tri
—
guṇa — the three modes of material nature
;
vyaktim
—
manifesting as the cause
;
sṛjantīm
—
creating
;
viśvataḥ
—
mukham — many different categories of cosmic manifestation
;
yasmin
—
within the mahat-tattva
;
protam
—
strung and bound
;
idam
—
this
;
viśvam
—
universe
;
yena
—
by which
;
saṁsarate
—
undergoes material existence
;
pumān
—
the living being .
Translation
According to great sages, that which is the basis of the three modes of material nature and which manifests the variegated universe is called the sūtra or mahat-tattva. Indeed, this universe is resting within that mahat-tattva, and due to its potency the living entity undergoes material existence.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
They say that this sūtra, the product of the three guṇas, creates the universe with great variety. By this sūtra the universe is pervaded, and by this sūtra the jīva takes rebirth.
Tām refers to mahat-tattvam, but it is now in the feminine gender. They say that mahat-tattva is the product (vyaktim) of the three guṇas. It creates the universe full of varieties (viśvato mukham) made of the three guṇas, through ahaṅkāra. Mahat-tattva, called sūtra, the effect of the guṇas, is the cause of the universe. The universe is strung on this sūtra (thread), prāṇa in its total form, which acts as the cause of the universe. Śruti says:
vāyur vai gautama, sūtraṁ vāyunā vai gautama, sūtreṇāyaṁ ca lokaḥ paraś ca lokaḥ sarvāṇi ca bhūtāni saṁsṛṣṭāni
O Gautama! Air is sūtra. By this air or sūtra, this world and Svarga and all beings are created. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.7.2
By this sūtra, in the form of adhyātma (senses and mind), the jīva takes repeated births.
Purport
The cosmic manifestation is a reality because it emanates from the supreme reality, the Personality of Godhead. The material world, however, is temporary and full of problems. The conditioned soul foolishly tries to become the lord of this inferior creation and becomes separated from his real friend, the Supreme Lord. In this state, his only business is material sense gratification, and his real knowledge is lost.