14. The Three Qualities of Nature

Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog

BG 14.1 - 27

Verse 1

श्री भगवानुवाचपरं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्
यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः


Krishna continued: Now I will reveal to you the wisdom that is beyond knowledge, by which the great sages have achieved the highest perfection.

Commentary

Verse 2

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः
सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च

Taking refuge in this wisdom of mine, they are neither born at the time of creation, nor do they suffer at the time of dissolution.

Commentary

Verse 3

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्
संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत

My womb is the great Brahman, in which I plant the seed from which all beings are born.

Commentary

Verse 4

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता

Whatever forms are produced in any womb, this great womb of Brahma is their womb, and I am their father.

Commentary

Verse 5

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्

Purity, passion, and ignorance are all born from the law of nature, and bind the soul to the body.

Commentary

Verse 6

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्
सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ

Of these, purity is luminous and full of well-being. It establishes itself through attachment to happiness and to knowledge.

Commentary

Verse 7

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्

Passion, engendered by thirst for pleasure and attachment, establishes itself with attachment to action.

Commentary

Verse 8

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत

Ignorance, born of false knowledge and delusion, establishes itself with negligence, laziness, and sleep.

Commentary

Verse 9

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत

Purity generates attachment to happiness, passion generates attachment to action, and ignorance generates attachment to negligence.

Commentary

Verse 10

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत
रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा

Purity prevails when passion and ignorance are overcome. Passion reigns when purity and ignorance are overwhelmed, and ignorance arises when purity and passion are overpowered.

Commentary

Verse 11

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते
ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत

When knowledge illuminates forth from every gateway of the body, one should know that purity has prevailed.

Commentary

Verse 12

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा
रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ

Greed, restlessness, agitation, and craving, are all due to the dominance of passion.

Commentary

Verse 13

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन

Darkness, stagnation, negligence, and delusion, all arise when ignorance prevails.

Commentary

Verse 14

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्
तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते

When purity prevails, the soul may pass from the body to the pure worlds of the enlightened.

Commentary

Verse 15

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते
तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते

When passion prevails, the soul is reborn among those attached to work. Similarly, when ignorance prevails, the soul is reborn in the wombs of the foolish.

Commentary

Verse 16

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्
रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्

The fruit of a good deed is born of purity. The fruit of passion is pain, and the fruit of ignorance is delusion.

Commentary

Verse 17

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च

From purity arises wisdom; from passion arises greed; from ignorance comes negligence and delusion.

Commentary

Verse 18

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः

Those established in purity ascend upward, those who abide in passion stay where they are, while those with ignorant nature and bad qualities descend downwards.

Commentary

Verse 19

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति

When one understands that it is only these three qualities that cause action, and perceives what is beyond them, they attain my divine nature.

Commentary

Verse 20

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्
जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते

When the soul transcends these three qualities from which the body is born, they are freed from birth and death, old age and misery, and attain immortality.

Commentary

Verse 21

अर्जुन उवाचकैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते


Arjuna asked: How does one recognize a person who has transcended these three modes of nature? What is their behavior, and how do they pass beyond?

Commentary

Verse 22

श्री भगवानुवाचप्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति


Krishna replied: Such a person does not hate illumination, activity, or even delusion, nor do they long for them when they are absent.

Commentary

Verse 23

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते

They sit like an unconcerned person, unmoved by the three qualities of nature.

Commentary

Verse 24

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः
तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः

To such a person, pain and pleasure are the same. The cold, a stone, and a lump of gold are all the same. The pleasant and unpleasant things are equal. They are intelligent, indifferent to both blame and praise.

Commentary

Verse 25

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते

One who looks equally upon honor and dishonor, loves friend and foe alike, and abandons all undertakings, has transcended the three qualities of nature.

Commentary

Verse 26

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते

And one who serves me alone, with unwavering devotion, will transcend the three Gunas and become one with Brahman.

Commentary

Verse 27

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च
शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च

For I am the abode of the immortal Brahman, the eternal Dharma, and infinite bliss.

Commentary

Next chapter

15. The Supreme Spirit

Puruṣhottam Yog
Chapter 14