Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga

परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः॥ 14:1॥

I shall reiterate the supreme Knowledge, the most exalted among all forms of knowledge, through which countless sages have attained the highest spiritual realization (Parām Siddhim). (14:1)

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः। सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च॥ 14:2॥

People who share My attributes (like being free from attachment and being above the three Modes of Nature) on seeking refuge in this Supreme Knowledge are not born again at the beginning of Creation and are not troubled at the time of Dissolution of the universe. (14:2)

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम्। सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत॥ 14:3॥

O, Arjuna! Mahad-Brahm {the Unmanifest Nature—Parā-Prakriti} is the womb {for the birth of all beings}, {and} I am the One who sets the seed {of Creation} in that womb, after which all creatures are born. (14:3)

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः। तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता॥ 14:4॥

Thus, O, Arjuna, of all the bodily beings born in different species, the Unmanifest Nature is the womb (Mother), and I am the impregnating Father! (14:4)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः। निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥ 14:5॥

O Mighty-armed Arjuna, the three attributes of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, which emanate from Nature, bind the soul, the master of the body, to the physical form. (14:5)

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्। सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ॥ 14:6॥

Among these three attributes, SattvaGuna, being the purest, illuminates and is devoid of sin, but it binds a person through attachment to happiness and knowledge, O Sinless Arjuna. (14:6)

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्। तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्॥ 14:7॥

O Son of Kunti, please recognize that RajoGuna, infused with passion, is closely associated with desires and attachments. It exerts a strong grip on individuals, compelling them toward actions {and a craving for the outcomes of those actions}. (14:7)

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्। प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत॥ 14:8॥

And O, Bhārata! Know that the TamoGuna, imbued with Ignorance, deludes all beings. It binds them to carelessness, indifference to duties, lunacy, laziness, and slumber. (14:8)

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत। ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत॥ 14:9॥

O, Arjuna! It has been said that the Noble Mode (SattvaGuna) binds to happiness, the Passional Mode (RajoGuna) to action, and the Dark Mode (TamoGuna), binds to indifference to duties by clouding wisdom. (14:9)

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत। रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा॥ 14:10॥

O Arjuna, the Noble Mode (SattvaGuna) gains supremacy in an individual by subduing the Passional and Dark Modes (RajoGuna and TamoGuna). In the same way, the Passional Mode becomes dominant by overpowering the Noble and Dark Modes, and the Dark Mode takes control by overshadowing the Noble and Passional Modes. (14:10)

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते। ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत॥ 14:11॥

When there is an emergence of light and knowledge in the body and its gates {and mind}, it indicates the ascendancy of the Noble Mode of Nature (SattvaGuna). (14:11)

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा। रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ॥ 14:12॥

On the dominance of the Passional Mode of Nature (RajoGuna), traits such as avarice, a heightened inclination toward action, restlessness of the mind, and desires arise, O Best of the Descendants of King Bharata. (14:12)

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च। तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन॥ 14:13॥

O Arjuna, when the Dark Mode of Nature (TamoGuna) prevails, the mind experiences a loss of illumination, diminished inclination toward action, forgetfulness of responsibilities, and delusion. (14:13)

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्। तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ॥ 14:14॥

When an individual departs from this world with the predominance of the Noble Mode of Nature (SattvaGuna), they attain the higher realms reserved for those who have performed virtuous deeds. (14:14)

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते। तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते॥ 14:15॥

When a person passes away with the predominance of the Passional Mode of Nature (RajoGuna), they are reborn as a {human} being with a strong inclination toward worldly actions. Conversely, departing during the dominance of the Dark Mode (TamoGuna) results in rebirth into lower species. (14:15)

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्। रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्॥ 14:16॥

The superior or virtuous (Sāttvic) acts are said to bear noble and serene fruits. The fruit of passional (Rājasic) actions is sorrow, and the fruit of ignoble (Tāmasic) deeds is ignorance. (14:16)

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च। प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च॥ 14:17॥

The Noble Mode of Nature fosters knowledge, the Passional Mode engenders greed, and the Dark Mode gives rise to negligence, delusion, and ignorance. (14:17)

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः। जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥ 14:18॥

Persons filled with the Noble Mode of Nature go to higher worlds {on death}, persons in Passional Mode stay in the middle, and people in Dark Mode, who are given to vices and are in unethical occupations, go down to hellish states of existence. (14:18)

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति। गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति॥ 14:19॥

At the time when the seer does not perceive anyone other than the three Modes of Nature as agent or doer {not even themselves} and knows Me to be beyond the three Modes of Nature, {at that time} they attain union with My Divine Essence. (14:19)

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्। जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते॥ 14:20॥

The living being attains Immortality—liberated from birth, death, old age—and freedom from all sorrows, by transcending the three Modes of Nature that constitute the body. (14:20)

कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो। किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते॥ 14:21॥

What are the characteristics of a person who stands elevated above these three Modes of Nature, and how does such an individual conduct themselves? O Lord, by what means does one rise above these three Modes, defeating their influence? (14:21)

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव। न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति॥ 14:22॥

O, Arjuna—Son of Pāndu! Who neither detests light (SattvaGuna) and the propensity to act (RajoGuna) and delusion (TamoGuna) when confronted with them nor longs for them when they recede; (14:22)

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते। गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते॥ 14:23॥

One who stays neutral {like a witness}, is not disturbed by {the interplay of} Modes of Nature, and understands that the role of the Modes is to remain engaged in their natural interplay, {and having understood this} remains calm and collected and never budges from that position; (14:23)

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः। तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः॥ 14:24 ॥

One who remains equipoised in joy and sorrow, is stable in his divine Self, is alike in the face of the pleasant and the unpleasant, treats clay, stone, and gold alike, is patient, and maintains equanimity in praise and blame; (14:24)

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः। सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते॥ 14:25॥

The one who remains equanimous in the face of honor and insult, treats friends and foes alike, initiates actions without attachment to outcomes and a sense of agency or doership, is said to have risen above the three Modes of Nature. (14:25)

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते। स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥ 14:26॥

And the one who serves Me {and no other deity} with undivided loving devotion, breaks free of all the three Modes of Nature and qualifies to become one with God-the-Supreme. (14:26)

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च। शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च॥ 14:27॥

For I am the refuge of indestructible Mahad-Brahm, {the Unmanifest Nature imbued with the Mahad Tattva or Great Elements that form the universe}, of Immortality, of eternal religion and unalloyed, absolute bliss. (14:27)