The Yoga of the Three Gunas: Transcending Material Qualities
(Chapter 14)
गुणत्रयविभागयोगः
Verse 14-1
श्रीभगवानुवाच | परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् | यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः ||१४-१||
śrībhagavānuvāca . paraṃ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṃ jñānamuttamam . yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṃ siddhimito gatāḥ ..14-1..
The Blessed Lord said: 1. I will again declare (to you) that Supreme Knowledge, the best of all knowledges, having known which, all the sages have attained Supreme Perfection after this life.
Verse 14-2
इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः | सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ||१४-२||
idaṃ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ . sarge.api nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti ca ..14-2..
2. They who, having refuge in this "Knowledge, " have attained to My Being, are neither born at the time of Creation, nor are they disturbed at the time of dissolution.
Verse 14-3
मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् | सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ||१४-३||
mama yonirmahad brahma tasmingarbhaṃ dadhāmyaham . sambhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tato bhavati bhārata ..14-3..
3. My womb is the great BRAHMAN (MULA PRAKRITI) ; in that I place the germ; from which, O Bharata, is the birth of all beings.
Verse 14-4
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः | तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ||१४-४||
sarvayoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ . tāsāṃ brahma mahadyonirahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā ..14-4..
4. Whatever forms are produced, O Kaunteya, in all the wombs whatsoever, the great BRAHMA is their womb, and I the seed-giving Father.
Verse 14-5
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः | निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ||१४-५||
sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ . nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam ..14-5..
5. Purity, passion, and inertia --- these qualities (GUNAS) , O! mighty-armed, born of "PRAKRITI" bind, the Indestructible, Embodied one, fast in the body.
Verse 14-6
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् | सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ||१४-६||
tatra sattvaṃ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam . sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha ..14-6..
6. Of these, "SATTWA" which because of its stainlessness, is luminous and healthy, (unobstructive) . It binds by (creating) attachment to 'happiness' and attachment to 'knowledge, ' O sinless one.
Verse 14-7
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् | तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ||१४-७||
rajo rāgātmakaṃ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam . tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ..14-7..
7. Know thou "RAJAS" (to be) of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast, O Kaunteya, the embodied one, by attachment to action.
Verse 14-8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् | प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ||१४-८||
tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām . pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ..14-8..
8. But, know thou TAMAS is born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings, it binds fast, O Bharata, by heedless-ness, indolence and sleep.
Verse 14-9
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत | ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ||१४-९||
sattvaṃ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata . jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayatyuta ..14-9..
9. SATTWA attaches to happiness, RAJAS to action, O Bharata, while TAMAS, verily, shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness.
Verse 14-10
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत | रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ||१४-१०||
rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata . rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajastathā ..14-10..
10. Now SATTWA rises (prevails) , O Bharata, having over-powered RAJAS and inertia (TAMAS) ; now RAJAS, having over-powered SATTWA and inertia; and inertia (TAMAS) , having over-powered SATTWA and RAJAS.
Verse 14-11
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते | ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ||१४-११||
sarvadvāreṣu dehe.asminprakāśa upajāyate . jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ..14-11..
11. When, through every gate (sense) in this body, the light-of-intelligence shines, then it may be known that 'SATTWA' is predominant.
Verse 14-12
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा | रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ||१४-१२||
lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā . rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha ..14-12..
12. Greed, activity, undertaking of actions, restless-ness longing --- these arise when RAJAS is predominant, O best in the Bharata family.
Verse 14-13
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च | तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ||१४-१३||
aprakāśo.apravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca . tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ..14-13..
13. Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion --- these arise when 'TAMAS' is predominant, O descendant-of-Kuru.
Verse 14-14
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् | तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ||१४-१४||
yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṃ yāti dehabhṛt . tadottamavidāṃ lokānamalānpratipadyate ..14-14..
14. If the embodied one meets with death when SATTWA is predominant, then he attains to the spotless worlds of the "Knowers of the Highest. "
Verse 14-15
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते | तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ||१४-१५||
rajasi pralayaṃ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate . tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate ..14-15..
15. Meeting death in RAJAS, he is born among those attached to action; and dying in TAMAS, he is born in the womb of the senseless.
Verse 14-16
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् | रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ||१४-१६||
karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam . rajasastu phalaṃ duḥkhamajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam ..14-16..
16. The fruit of good action, they say, is SATTWIC and pure; verily, the fruit of RAJAS is pain, and the fruit of TAMAS is ignorance.
Verse 14-17
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च | प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ||१४-१७||
sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca . pramādamohau tamaso bhavato.ajñānameva ca ..14-17..
17. Knowledge arises from SATTWA, greed from RAJAS, heedlessness, delusion and also ignorance arise from TAMAS.
Verse 14-18
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः | जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ||१४-१८||
ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ . jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ..14-18..
18. Those who are abiding in SATTWA go upwards; the RAJASIC dwell in the middle; and the TAMASIC, abiding in the function of the lowest GUNA, go downwards.
Verse 14-19
नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति | गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ||१४-१९||
nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati . guṇebhyaśca paraṃ vetti madbhāvaṃ so.adhigacchati ..14-19..
19. When the Seer beholds no agent other than the GUNAS and knows him who is higher than the GUNAS, he attains to My Being.
Verse 14-20
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् | जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ||१४-२०||
guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān . janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto.amṛtamaśnute ..14-20..
20. The embodied-one having crossed beyond these three GUNAS out of which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay and pain, and attains to Immortality.
Verse 14-21
अर्जुन उवाच | कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो | किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ||१४-२१||
arjuna uvāca . kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho . kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate ..14-21..
Arjuna said: 21. What are the marks of him who has crossed over the three GUNAS, O Lord? What is his conduct, and how does he go beyond these three GUNAS?
Verse 14-22
श्रीभगवानुवाच | प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव | न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ||१४-२२||
śrībhagavānuvāca . prakāśaṃ ca pravṛttiṃ ca mohameva ca pāṇḍava . na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ..14-22..
The Blessed Lord said: 22. Light, activity, and delusion, when present, O Pandava, he hates not, nor longs for them when absent.
Verse 14-23
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते | गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ||१४-२३||
udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate . guṇā vartanta ityevaṃ yo.avatiṣṭhati neṅgate ..14-23..
23. He who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the 'GUNAS, ' who, knowing that the 'GUNAS' operate, is self-centred and swerves not . . .
Verse 14-24
समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः | तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ||१४-२४||
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ . tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṃstutiḥ ..14-24..
24. Alike in pleasure and pain; who dwells in the Self; to whom a clod of earth, a precious stone and gold are alike; to whom the dear and the not-dear are the same; firm; the same in censure and self-praise. . . .
Verse 14-25
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः | सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ||१४-२५||
mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ . sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ..14-25..
25. The same in honour and dishonour; the same to friend and foe; abandoning all undertakings --- he is said to have crossed beyond the GUNAS.
Verse 14-26
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते | स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१४-२६||
māṃ ca yo.avyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate . sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate ..14-26..
26. And he, serving Me with unswerving devotion, and crossing beyond the GUNAS, is fit to become BRAHMAN.
Verse 14-27
ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च | शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ||१४-२७||
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca . śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ..14-27..
27. For I am the Abode of BRAHMAN, the Immortal and the Immutable, of everlasting DHARMA and of Absolute Bliss.
Key Takeaways & AI Summary
This chapter explores the profound teachings of The Yoga of the Three Gunas: Transcending Material Qualities. It includes 27 verses detailing core themes like "śrībhagavānuvāca ", "idaṃ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ ", "mama yonirmahad brahma tasmingarbhaṃ dadhāmyaham ".The divine discourse between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — the ultimate guide to duty, devotion, and self-realization.