The fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna reveals the three gunas (modes) of the material nature - goodness, passion and ignorance which everything in the material existence is influenced by. He further explains the essential characteristics of each of these modes, their cause and how they influence a living entity affected by them. He then reveals the various characteristics of the persons who have gone beyond these gunas. The chapter ends with Krishna reminding us of the power of pure devotion to God and how attachment to God can help us transcend these gunas.
भगवद गीता का चौदहवा अध्याय गुणत्रयविभागयोग है। इस अध्याय में, कृष्ण भौतिक प्रकृति के तीन गुणों का वर्णन करते हैं जिनसे भौतिक संसार में सब कुछ प्रभावित होता है - अच्छाई, लालसा और अज्ञान। आगे वह इन तीनों गुणों के प्रधान अभिलक्षणों अथवा कारणों का वर्णन करते हैं और बताते हैं कि कैसे ये तीनों गुण मनुष्य को प्रभावित करते हैं। फिर वह ऐसे व्यक्तियों की विभिन्न विशेषताओं का वर्णन करते हैं जो कि इन गुणों पर जीत पा चुके हैं। इस अध्याय के अंत में कृष्ण हमें सच्ची भक्ति कि शक्ति का स्मरण कराते हैं और बताते हैं की हम कैसे भगवन के साथ जुड़ कर इन गुणों को पार कर सकते हैं।
श्री भगवानुवाचपरं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः।।14.1।।
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣhyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Divine Lord said; param—supreme; bhūyaḥ—again; pravakṣhyāmi—I shall explain; jñānānām—of all knowledge; jñānam uttamam—the supreme wisdom; yat—which; jñātvā—knowing; munayaḥ—saints; sarve—all; parām—highest; siddhim—perfection; itaḥ—through this; gatāḥ—attained
The Lord said, "I shall declare again another kind of knowledge: It is the best of all forms of knowledge, by knowing which all the sages have attained the state of perfection beyond this world."
Commentaries and more translationsइदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः।सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च।।14.2।।
idaṁ jñānam upāśhritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ sarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha
idam—this; jñānam—wisdom; upāśhritya—take refuge in; mama—mine; sādharmyam—of similar nature; āgatāḥ—having attained; sarge—at the time of creation; api—even; na—not; upajāyante—are born; pralaye—at the time of dissolution; na-vyathanti—they will not experience misery; cha—and
Resorting to this knowledge, partaking in My Nature, they are not born at the time of creation nor do they suffer at the time of dissolution.
Commentaries and more translationsमम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्।संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत।।14.3।।
mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata
mama—my; yoniḥ—womb; mahat brahma—the total material substance, prakṛiti; tasmin—in that; garbham—womb; dadhāmi—impregnate; aham—I; sambhavaḥ—birth; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living beings; tataḥ—thereby; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat;
My womb is the great Brahman (i.e. Prakṛti). In it, I lay the germ. From that, O Arjuna, comes the birth of all beings.
Commentaries and more translationsसर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः।तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता।।14.4।।
sarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
sarva—all; yoniṣhu—species of life; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mūrtayaḥ—forms; sambhavanti—are produced; yāḥ—which; tāsām—of all of them; brahma-mahat—great material nature; yoniḥ—womb; aham—I; bīja-pradaḥ—seed-giving; pitā—Father
Whatever forms are produced in any womb, O Arjuna, the Prakṛti is their great womb, and I am the sowing father.
Commentaries and more translationsसत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः।निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्।।14.5।।
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥ nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam
sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; iti—thus; guṇāḥ—modes; prakṛiti—material nature; sambhavāḥ—consists of; nibadhnanti—bind; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; dehe—in the body; dehinam—the embodied soul; avyayam—eternal
The Gunas of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas arise from Prakrti and bind the immutable Self in the body, O Arjuna.
Commentaries and more translationsतत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ।।14.6।।
tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayam sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha
tatra—amongst these; sattvam—mode of goodness; nirmalatvāt—being purest; prakāśhakam—illuminating; anāmayam—healthy and full of well-being; sukha—happiness; saṅgena—attachment; badhnāti—binds; jñāna—knowledge; saṅgena—attachment; cha—also; anagha—Arjun, the sinless one
Of these, sattva, being without impurity, is luminous and free from morbidity. It binds, O Arjuna, through attachment to pleasure and knowledge.
Commentaries and more translationsरजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्।।14.7।।
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam
rajaḥ—mode of passion; rāga-ātmakam—of the nature of passion; viddhi—know; tṛiṣhṇā—desires; saṅga—association; samudbhavam—arises from; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; karma-saṅgena—through attachment to fruitive actions; dehinam—the embodied soul
Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion springing from thirst and attachment. It binds the embodied self with attachment to action.
Commentaries and more translationsतमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत।।14.8।।
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; tu—but; ajñāna-jam—born of ignorance; viddhi—know; mohanam—illusion; sarva-dehinām—for all the embodied souls; pramāda—negligence; ālasya—laziness; nidrābhiḥ—and sleep; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat
Know that Tamas is born of false knowledge and deludes all embodied beings. It binds, O Arjuna, with negligence, indolence, and sleep.
Commentaries and more translationsसत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत।।14.9।।
sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta
sattvam—mode of goodness; sukhe—to happiness; sañjayati—binds; rajaḥ—mode of passion; karmaṇi—toward actions; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; jñānam—wisdom; āvṛitya—clouds; tu—but; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; pramāde—to delusion; sañjayati—binds; uta—indeed
Sattva generates attachment to pleasure, Rajas to action, O Arjuna. But Tamas, obscuring knowledge, generates attachment to negligence.
Commentaries and more translationsरजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत।रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा।।14.10।।
rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; abhibhūya—prevails; sattvam—mode of goodness; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; rajaḥ—mode of passion; sattvam—mode of goodness; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; eva—indeed; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tathā—also
Prevailing over Rajas and Tamas, Sattva predominates, O Arjuna. Prevailing over Tamas and Sattva, Rajas predominates. Prevailing over Rajas and Sattva, Tamas predominates.
Commentaries and more translationsसर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत।।14.11।।
sarva-dvāreṣhu dehe ’smin prakāśha upajāyate jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛiddhaṁ sattvam ity uta
sarva—all; dvāreṣhu—through the gates; dehe—body; asmin—in this; prakāśhaḥ—illumination; upajāyate—manifest; jñānam—knowledge; yadā—when; tadā—then; vidyāt—know; vivṛiddham—predominates; sattvam—mode of goodness; iti—thus; uta—certainly;
When knowledge, like light, illuminates from all gateways (i.e., the senses), then one should know that Sattva prevails.
Commentaries and more translationsलोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ।।14.12।।
lobhaḥ pravṛittir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśhamaḥ spṛihā rajasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe bharatarṣhabha
lobhaḥ—greed; pravṛittiḥ—activity; ārambhaḥ—exertion; karmaṇām—for fruitive actions; aśhamaḥ—restlessness; spṛihā—craving; rajasi—of the mode of passion; etāni—these; jāyante—develop; vivṛiddhe—when predominates; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—the best of the Bharatas, Arjun;
Greed, activity, undertaking of work, restlessness, and longing—these arise, O Arjuna, when Rajas predominates.
Commentaries and more translationsअप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन।।14.13।।
aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana
aprakāśhaḥ—nescience; apravṛittiḥ—inertia; cha—and; pramādaḥ—negligence; mohaḥ—delusion; eva—indeed; cha—also; tamasi—mode of ignorance; etāni—these; jāyante—manifest; vivṛiddhe—when dominates; kuru-nandana—the joy of the Kurus, Arjun
Non-illumination, inactivity, negligence, and even delusion—these arise, O Arjuna, when Tamas prevails.
Commentaries and more translationsयदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते।।14.14।।
yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate
yadā—when; sattve—in the mode of goodness; pravṛiddhe—when premodinates; tu—indeed; pralayam—death; yāti—reach; deha-bhṛit—the embodied; tadā—then; uttama-vidām—of the learned; lokān—abodes; amalān—pure; pratipadyate—attains;
If the embodied self dissolves when Sattva prevails, then it proceeds to the pure worlds of those who know the highest.
Commentaries and more translationsरजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते।।14.15।।
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate
rajasi—in the mode of passion; pralayam—death; gatvā—attaining; karma-saṅgiṣhu—among people driven by work; jāyate—are born; tathā—likewise; pralīnaḥ—dying; tamasi—in the mode of ignorance; mūḍha-yoniṣhu—in the animal kingdom; jāyate—takes birth
(a) When Rajas is prevalent, one meets with dissolution and is born among those attached to work. (b) Similarly, when Tamas prevails, one who has met with dissolution is born in the womb of beings lacking intelligence.
Commentaries and more translationsकर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्।रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्।।14.16।।
karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam
karmaṇaḥ—of action; su-kṛitasya—pure; āhuḥ—is said; sāttvikam—mode of goodness; nirmalam—pure; phalam—result; rajasaḥ—mode of passion; tu—indeed; phalam—result; duḥkham—pain; ajñānam—ignorance; tamasaḥ—mode of ignorance; phalam—result
It is said that the fruit of a good deed is pure and of the nature of Sattva; the fruit of Rajas is pain; and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance.
Commentaries and more translationsसत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च।प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च।।14.17।।
sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva cha pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha
sattvāt—from the mode of goodness; sañjāyate—arises; jñānam—knowledge; rajasaḥ—from the mode of passion; lobhaḥ—greed; eva—indeed; cha—and; pramāda—negligence; mohau—delusion; tamasaḥ—from the mode of ignorance; bhavataḥ—arise; ajñānam—ignorance; eva—indeed; cha—and
From Sattva arises knowledge, from Rajas arises greed, from Tamas arises negligence and delusion, and from it arises ignorance.
Commentaries and more translationsऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः।।14.18।।
ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ
ūrdhvam—upward; gachchhanti—rise; sattva-sthāḥ—those situated in the mode of goodness; madhye—in the middle; tiṣhṭhanti—stay; rājasāḥ—those in the mode of passion; jaghanya—abominable; guṇa—quality; vṛitti-sthāḥ—engaged in activities; adhaḥ—down; gachchhanti—go; tāmasāḥ—those in the mode of ignorance
Those who rest in Sattva ascend upwards; those who abide in Rajas stay in the middle; and those, abiding in the tendencies of Tamas descend downwards.
Commentaries and more translationsनान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति।गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति।।14.19।।
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati
na—no; anyam—other; guṇebhyaḥ—of the guṇas; kartāram—agents of action; yadā—when; draṣhṭā—the seer; anupaśhyati—see; guṇebhyaḥ—to the modes of nature; cha—and; param—transcendental; vetti—know; mat-bhāvam—my divine nature; saḥ—they; adhigachchhati—attain
When the seer beholds no agent of action other than the Gunas, and knows what is beyond the Gunas, he attains to My state.
Commentaries and more translationsगुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते।।14.20।।
guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute
guṇān—the three modes of material nature; etān—these; atītya—transcending; trīn—three; dehī—the embodied; deha—body; samudbhavān—produced of; janma—birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; duḥkhaiḥ—misery; vimuktaḥ—freed from; amṛitam—immortality; aśhnute—attains
The embodied Self, crossing beyond these three Gunas that arise in the body, and being freed from birth, death, aging, and pain, attains immortality.
Commentaries and more translationsअर्जुन उवाचकैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो।किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते।।14.21।।
arjuna uvācha kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun inquired; kaiḥ—by what; liṅgaiḥ—symptoms; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; etān—these; atītaḥ—having transcended; bhavati—is; prabho—Lord; kim—what; āchāraḥ—conduct; katham—how; cha—and; etān—these; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; ativartate—transcend
Arjuna said, "What are the marks of a person who has transcended the three Gunas? What is their behavior? And how do they transcend the three Gunas?"
Commentaries and more translationsश्री भगवानुवाचप्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति।।14.22।।
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha prakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava na dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhati
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; prakāśham—illumination; cha—and; pravṛittim—activity; cha—and; moham—delusion; eva—even; cha—and; pāṇḍava—Arjun, the son of Pandu; na dveṣhṭi—do not hate; sampravṛittāni—when present; na—nor; nivṛittāni—when absent; kāṅkṣhati—longs;
The Lord said, "He does not hate illumination, nor activity, nor even delusion, O Arjuna, while these prevail, nor does He long for them when they cease."
Commentaries and more translationsउदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते।गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते।।14.23।।
udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgate
udāsīna-vat—neutral; āsīnaḥ—situated; guṇaiḥ—to the modes of material nature; yaḥ—who; na—not; vichālyate—are disturbed; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature; vartante—act; iti-evam—knowing it in this way; yaḥ—who; avatiṣhṭhati—established in the self; na—not; iṅgate—wavering
He who sits like one unconcerned, undisturbed by the Gunas; who knows, 'It is the Gunas that are in motion,' and so remains unshaken;
Commentaries and more translationsसमदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः।।14.24।।
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ
sama—alike; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; sva-sthaḥ—established in the self; sama—equally; loṣhṭa—a clod; aśhma—stone; kāñchanaḥ—gold; tulya—of equal value; priya—pleasant; apriyaḥ—unpleasant; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—the same; nindā—blame; ātma-sanstutiḥ—praise;
He who is alike in pleasure and pain, who dwells in his Self, who looks upon a clod, a stone, and a piece of gold as of equal value, who remains the same towards things dear and hateful, and who is intelligent, who regards both blame and praise of himself as equal.
Commentaries and more translationsमानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते।।14.25।।
mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate
māna—honor; apamānayoḥ—dishonor; tulyaḥ—equal; tulyaḥ—equal; mitra—friend; ari—foe; pakṣhayoḥ—to the parties; sarva—all; ārambha—enterprises; parityāgī—renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ—risen above the three modes of material nature; saḥ—they; uchyate—are said to have
He who is the same in honor and dishonor, and the same to friend and foe, and who has abandoned all enterprises—he is said to have risen above the Gunas.
Commentaries and more translationsमां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते।स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते।।14.26।।
māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
mām—me; cha—only; yaḥ—who; avyabhichāreṇa—unalloyed; bhakti-yogena—through devotion; sevate—serve; saḥ—they; guṇān—the three modes of material nature; samatītya—rise above; etān—these; brahma-bhūyāya—level of Brahman; kalpate—comes to
And he who, with unwavering devotion through Yoga, serves Me, he, transcending the Gunas, becomes fit for the state of Brahman.
Commentaries and more translationsब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च।शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च।।14.27।।
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha
brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahman; hi—only; pratiṣhṭhā—the basis; aham—I; amṛitasya—of the immortal; avyayasya—of the imperishable; cha—and; śhāśhvatasya—of the eternal; cha—and; dharmasya—of the dharma; sukhasya—of bliss; aikāntikasya—unending; cha—and
For I am the ground of Brahman, the immortal, immutable, and eternal Dharma, and perfect bliss.
Commentaries and more translationsChapter 14: Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga गुणत्रयविभागयोग