कुललक्षणं कुलाचारनिरूपणञ्चThe mark of kula, and kulācāra described
Verse 97
जीवः प्रकृतितत्त्वञ्च दिक्कालाकाशमेव च । क्षित्यप्तेजोवायवश्च कुलमित्यभिधीयते ॥ ९७ ॥
jīvaḥ prakṛtitattvañca dikkālākāśamēva ca | kṣityaptējōvāyavaśca kulamityabhidhīyatē || 97 ||
Translation
The individual soul, the principle of Prakṛti, space-direction, time and ether, earth, water, fire and air: these are called kula.
Word by word
- jīvaḥ
- the individual soul
- prakṛti
- of Prakṛti
- tattvañ
- (tattvam) the principle
- ca
- and
- dik
- space-direction
- kāla
- time
- ākāśam
- and ether
- ēva
- also
- kṣiti
- earth
- ap
- water
- tējō
- (tejaḥ) fire
- vāyavaś
- (vāyavaḥ) and air
- kulam
- kula
- ity
- (iti) thus
- abhidhīyatē
- are called
Meaning
The definition of kula, which the commentary marks as given in this single verse: the nine beginning with the jīva are called kula. They are: the individual soul (jīva); Prakṛti, the material principle; dik, space as direction; kāla, time; ākāśa, ether; and the four elements, earth, water, fire and air. Kula, then, is not a social group but the whole of what exists: the experiencer, nature, the frames of space and time, and the elements. To belong to the kula is to see oneself as part of this totality.
Commentary
Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated
First he defines kula there, in the single verse beginning "jīvaḥ…": the nine beginning with the individual soul (jīva) are called kula, it is said.