Chapter 14. Gunatraya-vibhaga-yoga: The Three Divisions of Material Nature

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् ।
यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्व्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः ॥१॥

śrī-bhagavān uvācha॥

paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam
yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ [1]

sri-bhagavan uvacha–The Supreme Lord said: bhuyah–Again; (aham) pravaksyami–I shall speak; param–the supreme; jnanam–knowledge, teaching; uttamam–the highest; jnananam–of all fields of knowledge; jnatva–knowing; yat–which; sarve–all; munayah–the sages; gatah–attained; param–ultimate; siddhim–perfection; itah–beyond this mundane plane. [1]

Translation:

1 The Supreme Lord said: Again, I shall describe to you the supreme teaching, the highest of all fields of knowledge, knowing which the sages attained the ultimate perfection beyond this mundane plane.

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्म्यमागताः ।
सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ॥२॥

idaṁ jñānam upāśritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ
sarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha [2]

upasritya–Taking refuge in; idam–this; jnanam–knowledge; (jivah)–the living being; agatah (santah)–attaining; sadharmyam–the same (spiritual) nature; mama–as Mine; na upajayante–is neither born; sarge api–in the universal manifestation; na vyathanti–nor suffers; pralaye cha–in the universal dissolution. [2]

Translation:

2 By taking refuge in this knowledge, the soul attains to My nature. Then he is neither born in the cosmic manifestation, nor does he suffer (death) in the cosmic dissolution.

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् ।
सम्भवः सर्व्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ॥३॥

mama yonir mahad-brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham
sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata [3]

(he) bharata–O Arjuna; mahat-brahma–primordial matter; mama yonih–is My place of impregnation; tasmin–into which; aham–I; dadhami–cast; garbham–the seed. tatah–From there; sambhavah–the birth; sarva-bhutanam–of all living beings; bhavati–occurs. [3]

Translation:

3 O Bharat, I place the seed within My womb of primordial matter from which all living beings take birth.

सर्व्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्त्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः ।
तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥४॥

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [4]

(he) kaunteya–O son of Kunti; yah murtayah–of all forms which; sambhavanti–are born; sarva-yonisu–of the wombs of all species; tasam–their; yonih–womb; mahat brahma–is primordial matter; aham–and I; bija-pradah–the seed-giving; pita–father. [4]

Translation:

4 O Kaunteya, primordial matter is the original womb of all life-forms that are born of the wombs of all species, and I am the seed-giving father.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः ।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥५॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti maha-baho dehe dehinam avyayam [5]

(he) maha-baho–O mighty hero; gunah–the qualities; sattvam rajah tamah iti–known as goodness, passion, and ignorance; prakrti-sambhavah–manifest from material nature; nibadhnanti–bind; avyayam–the immutable; dehinam–resident of the body; dehe–within the body. [5]

Translation:

5 O mighty hero, Arjuna, the three modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, born of material nature, bind the immutable spirit soul within the body.

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्म्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् ।
सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥६॥

tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśakam anāmayam
sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha [6]

(he) anagha–O sinless one; tatra–among these three; nirmalatvat–due to purity; sattvam–the mode of goodness; prakasakam–illuminating; anamayam–and wholesome; badhnati–binds; (dehinam)–the embodied living being; sukha-sangena–with happiness; jnana-sangena cha–and knowledge. [6]

Translation:

6 O sinless one, of these three modes, due its purity, the mode of goodness is illuminating and wholesome, conditioning one to happiness and knowledge.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् ।
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्म्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥७॥

rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛṣṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam [7]

(he) kaunteya–O son of Kunti; viddhi–know; rajah–the mode of passion; raga-atmakam–as the embodiment of desire; trsna-sanga-samudbhavam–born of hankering and attachment. tat–That rajo-guna mode of passion; nibadhnati–binds; dehinam–the embodied; karma-sangena–by action. [7]

Translation:

7 O son of Kunti, know the mode of passion to be the embodiment of desire. Born of hankering and attachment, it conditions one to action.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्व्वदेहिनाम् ।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥८॥

tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata [8]

(he) bharata–O Arjuna; viddhi tu–and know; tamah–the mode of ignorance; ajnana-jam–born of darkness; mohanam–the delusion; sarva-dehinam–of all the embodied beings; tat–that; nibadhnati–binds; (dehinam)–the living being; pramada-alasya-nidrabhih–with delusion, laziness, and sleep. [8]

Translation:

8 And, O Bharat, know the mode of ignorance, born of darkness, to be the ignorance of all the embodied beings, conditioning them to delusion, laziness, and slumber.

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्म्मणि भारत ।
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥९॥

sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata
jñānam āvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta [9]

(he) bharata–O Arjuna; sattvam–the mode of goodness; sanjayati–dominates; (dehinam)–the embodied living being; sukhe–with happiness; rajah–and the mode of passion; karmani–with action; tu–but; tamah–the mode of ignorance; avrtya–covering; jnanam–knowledge; sanjayati uta–binds one; pramade–with illusion. [9]

Translation:

9 O Arjuna, the mode of goodness conditions the embodied being to happiness, and the mode of passion conditions him to action. But the mode of ignorance covers his knowledge and traps him in illusion.

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत ।
रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥१०॥

rajas tamaś chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaś chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā [10]

(he) bharata–O Arjuna; sattvam–the mode of goodness; bhavati–appears; abhibhuya–defeating; rajah tamah cha–the modes of passion and ignorance. rajah–The mode of passion; (bhavati)–appears; (abhibhuya)–defeating; sattvam tamah eva cha–goodness and ignorance too. tatha–Similarly; tamah–ignorance; (abhibhuya bhavati)–defeats; sattvam rajah–goodness and passion. [10]

Translation:

10 O Bharat, goodness overcomes passion and ignorance, passion overcomes goodness and ignorance, and ignorance overcomes goodness and passion. Each mode in turn defeats the others in an unending battle for supremacy.

सर्व्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते ।
ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥११॥

sarva-dvāreṣu dehe ’smin prakāśa upajāyate
jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛddhaṁ sattvam ity uta [11]

yada–When; prakasah–illumination; jnanam–of knowledge; upajayate–appears; sarva-dvaresu–in the gateways (the senses); asmin dehe–of this body; tada–then; vidyat iti uta–know by that symptom; sattvam–the mode of goodness; vivrddham–has increased. [11]

Translation:

11 When the gateways of the body are illuminated with knowledge, know this to be the manifestation of the mode of goodness.

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्म्मणामशमः स्पृहा ।
रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥१२॥

lobhaḥ pravṛttir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśamaḥ spṛhā
rajasy etāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha [12]

(he) bharatarsabha–O most noble of the Bharat dynasty; rajasi vivrddhe–with a predominance of the mode of passion; etani–all these symptoms; jayante–are manifest: lobhah–greed; pravrttih–exertion; arambhah–undertaking; karmanam–of activities; asamah–unrest; sprha–and hankering. [12]

Translation:

12 O Arjuna, most noble of the Bharat dynasty, know that when the mode of passion predominates in a person, greed, exertion, undertaking of activities, unrest, and hankering become manifest.

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च ।
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥१३॥

aprakāśo ’pravṛttiś cha pramādo moha eva cha
tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛddhe kuru-nandana [13]

(he) kuru-nandana–O descendant of Kuru; tamasi vivrddhe–by the force of the mode of ignorance; etani–all these symptoms; jayante–are manifest: aprakasah–dullness; apravrttih cha–inactivity; pramadah–delusion; mohah eva cha–and bewilderment. [13]

Translation:

13 O Kuru Nandan, by the influence of the mode of ignorance, all the symptoms of dullness, inactivity, delusion, and bewilderment become manifest.

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् ।
तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ॥१४॥

yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛt
tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate [14]

yada–When; deha-bhrt–the embodied; pravrddhe (sati)–having developed; sattve–goodness; yati–reaches; pralayam–death; tada tu–then; amalan–the pure; lokan–planes; uttama-vidam–of persons of higher knowledge (worshippers of Hiranyagarbha [Brahma], etc.); pratipadyate–are attained. [14]

Translation:

14 If a person dies in a state of the mode of goodness, he goes to the pure planes where those who have higher knowledge reside.

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्म्मसङ्गिषु जायते ।
तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥१५॥

rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣu jāyate
tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣu jāyate [15]

(jivah) pralayam gatva–When a person dies; rajasi (pravrddhe)–with a predominance of the mode of passion; jayate–he is born; karma-sangisu–as a human attached to action. tatha–Similarly; pralinah (san)–dying; tamasi (vivrddhe)–when the mode of ignorance predominates; jayate–one takes birth; mudha-yonisu–in the lower species. [15]

Translation:

15 When a person dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth as a human attached to worldly activity. If one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the lower species.

कर्म्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्म्मलं फलम् ।
रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥१६॥

karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam
rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam [16]

(panditah)–The learned; ahuh–proclaim; phalam–the fruit; sukrtasya karmanah–of good works; nirmalam–is pure; sattvikam–and of the nature of goodness; tu phalam–and the fruit; rajasah–of passionate action; duhkham–is sorrow; phalam (cha)–and the fruit; tamasah–of ignorant action; ajnanam–is ignorance. [16]

Translation:

16 It is said by the learned that good actions result in purity, passionate actions result in sorrow, and ignorant actions lead to darkness.

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च ।
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ॥१७॥

sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva cha
pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha [17]

sattvat–From goodness; jnanam–knowledge; cha eva–and; rajasah–from passion; lobhah–greed; sanjayate–is born; tamasah (cha)–and from ignorance; pramada-mohau–delusion and bewilderment; bhavatah–arise; ajnanam eva cha–and a lack of knowledge; (bhavati)–ensues. [17]

Translation:

17 From the mode of goodness, knowledge arises; from the mode of passion, greed; and from the mode of ignorance, delusion, bewilderment, and a lack of knowledge ensue.

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥१८॥

ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ
jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ [18]

sattva-sthah–Persons situated in the mode of goodness; gachchhanti–go; urdhvam–up (to Satyaloka). rajasah–Those in the mode of passion; tisthanti–remain; madhye–in the middle (as humans). tamasah–Persons in the mode of ignorance; jaghanya-guna-vrtti-sthah–tending to lower qualities; gachchhanti–go; adhah–down (suffer). [18]

Translation:

18 Persons in goodness ascend (up to Satyaloka), those in passion remain in the middle (as humans), and the unfortunate, ignorant persons fall to the lower planes (of suffering).

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्त्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥१९॥

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati
guṇebhyaś cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati [19]

yada–When; drasta–the living being, the witness; anupasyati–sees; na anyam–nothing else; gunebhyah–but the three modes of nature; kartaram–as the doer; cha–and; vetti–is able to know; param–the Lord, transcendental; gunebhyah–to the modes; (tada)–then; sah–he; adhigachchhati–attains; mat-bhavam–My nature (My bhava-bhakti). [19]

Translation:

19 When a person sees the three modes to be the only impetus of this world, and knows the Supreme Lord, transcendental to the modes, then he comes to love Me with devotion.

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् ।
जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥२०॥

guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛtam aśnute [20]

dehi–The embodied living being; atitya–transcending; etan trin gunan–these three modes of nature; deha-samudbhavan–that appear in the body; vimuktah (san)–being liberated; janma-mrtyu-jara-duhkhaih–from the miseries of birth, death, and old age; asnute–knows the joy of; amrtam–immortality, love transcendental (nirguna prema). [20]

Translation:

20 Transcending these modes manifest in the body, he is liberated from the miseries of birth, death, and old age, and knows the joy of immortality.

अर्ज्जुन उवाच ।

कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो ।
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्त्तते ॥२१॥

arjuna uvācha॥

kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho
kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāṁs trīn guṇān ativartate [21]

arjunah uvacha–Arjuna said: (he) prabho–O Lord; kaih lingaih–by what symptoms; bhavati (jneyah)–can be known; atitah–a person who has transcended; etan–these; trin–three; gunan–modes? kim acharah–How does he behave? katham cha–and how; ativartate–does he transcend; etan–these; trin gunan–three modes? [21]

Translation:

21 Arjuna said: O Lord, what are the symptoms of a person transcendental to these three modes of material nature? How does he behave, and how does he transcend the modes?

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

प्रकाशञ्च प्रवृत्तिञ्च मोहमेव च पाण्डव ।
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ॥२२॥

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते ।
गुणा वर्त्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥२३॥

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्ट्राश्मकाञ्चनः ।
तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥२४॥

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः ।
सर्व्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥२५॥

śrī-bhagavān uvācha॥

prakāśañ cha pravṛttiñ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati [22]

udāsīnavad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate [23]

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ svasthaḥ sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñchanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ [24]

mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate [25]

sri-bhagavan uvacha–The Supreme Lord replied: (he) pandava–O son of Pandu; yah–one who; na dvesti–neither resents; prakasam cha–illumination (the effect of goodness); pravrttim cha–activation (the effect of passion); moham eva cha–and delusion (the effect of ignorance); sampravrttani–when they appear; na kanksati–nor hankers for them; nivrttani–when they disappear; yah–one who; asinah (san)–remaining; udasinavat–as unconcerned; na vichalyate–is not perturbed; gunaih–by the modes; avatisthati–remains poised; na ingate–without wavering; iti evam (jnatva)–knowing that; gunah–the modes; vartate–are engaged in their functions; (yah)–one who; sama-duhkha-sukhah–is equipoised in happiness and unhappiness; svasthah–is situated within the self; sama-lostra-asma-kanchanah–with the vision of equality towards earth, stone, or gold; tulya-priya-apriyah–equipoised in desirable and undesirable circumstances; dhirah–wise; tulya-ninda-atma-samstutih–balanced with regard to abuse and praise; tulyah mana-apamanayoh–balanced in honour and dishonour; tulyah–balanced; mitra-ari-paksayoh–toward friend and foe; sarva-arambha-parityagi–and is a renouncer of all mundane endeavours; sah–that person; uchyate–is described; guna-atitah–as transcendental to the modes of material nature. [22–25]

Translation:

22–25 The Supreme Lord replied: O Pandava, it is said that a person who has transcended the three modes of material nature neither resents illumination, activation, and delusion when they appear, nor does he hanker for them when they withdraw. Poised in the knowledge that the modes are engaging, he is not distracted by them; he remains unperturbed, unconcerned. Remaining self-satisfied, he sees joy and sorrow equally; he sees earth, rock, or gold with the vision of equality; he is wise, equipoised in desirable and undesirable circumstances, abuse and praise, honour and dishonour; he behaves fairly with friend and foe alike, and he renounces all mundane endeavours.

माञ्च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते ।
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥२६॥

māñ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [26]

yah–One who; bhakti-yogena–by the yoga of devotion; avyabhicharena–without deviation; sevate–renders service; mam cha–unto Me (the Supreme Lord Syamasundar); sah–that person; samatitya–transcending; etan–these; gunan–modes; kalpate–becomes qualified; brahma-bhuyaya–to know his internal divine identity (chit-svarup-siddhi). [26]

Translation:

26 A person who, without deviation, serves Me with devotion, transcends the three modes of material nature and becomes qualified to know his internal divine identity.

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च ।
शाश्वतस्य च धर्म्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ॥२७॥

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛtasyāvyayasya cha
śāśvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha [27]

hi–For; aham pratistha–I am the basis; brahmanah–of the Absolute Truth; avyayasya cha–and of the inexhaustible; amrtasya–nectar; sasvatasya cha–and of the eternal; dharmasya–divine Pastimes; aikantikasya sukhasya cha–and of the ultimate ecstasy of divine love. [27]

Translation:

27 I am the basis of the Absolute Truth, the inexhaustible nectar, the eternal Pastimes, and the ultimate ecstasy of divine love.

इति श्रीमहाभारते शतसाहस्र्यां संहितायां वैयासिक्या भीष्मपर्व्वणि
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्ज्जुनसंवादे गुणत्रयविभागयोगो नाम चतुर्द्दशोऽध्यायः ॥१४॥

iti sri-mahabharate sata-sahasryam samhitayam vaiyasikyam
bhisma-parvani srimad-bhagavad-gitasupanisatsu brahma
vidyayam yoga-sastre sri-krsnarjuna-samvade gunatraya
vibhaga-yogo nama chaturdaso ’dhyayah [14]

End of Chapter Fourteen
The Three Divisions of Material Nature
from the conversation
of Sri Krishna and Arjuna
in Srimad Bhagavad-gita Upanisad
the yoga scripture of transcendental knowledge
in Bhisma Parva of Sri Mahabharata, the holy scripture
revealed by Srila Vyasadev in a hundred thousand verses.