Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14
भगवद्गीता अध्यायः 14
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.
Shlokas (27)
+ Add ShlokaBhagavad Gita 14.1
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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 Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection.
Bhagavad Gita 14.2
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature like My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation or disturbed at the time of dissolution.
Bhagavad Gita 14.3
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all living beings, O son of Bharata.
Bhagavad Gita 14.4
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.
Bhagavad Gita 14.5
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 5
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः | निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ||१४-५||
sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ . nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam ||14-5||
Material nature consists of three modes – goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
Bhagavad Gita 14.6
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 6
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् | सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ||१४-६||
tatra sattvaṃ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam . sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha ||14-6||
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
Bhagavad Gita 14.7
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 7
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् | तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ||१४-७||
rajo rāgātmakaṃ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam . tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ||14-7||
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kuntī, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions.
Bhagavad Gita 14.8
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् | प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ||१४-८||
tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām . pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ||14-8||
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
Bhagavad Gita 14.9
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
O son of Bharata, the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness; passion conditions one to fruitive action; and ignorance, covering one’s knowledge, binds one to madness.
Bhagavad Gita 14.10
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
Sometimes the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes of passion and ignorance, O son of Bharata. Sometimes the mode of passion defeats goodness and ignorance, and at other times ignorance defeats goodness and passion. In this way there is always competition for supremacy.
Bhagavad Gita 14.11
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 11
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते | ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ||१४-११||
sarvadvāreṣu dehe.asminprakāśa upajāyate . jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ||14-11||
The manifestation of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.
Bhagavad Gita 14.12
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 12
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा | रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ||१४-१२||
lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā . rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha ||14-12||
O chief of the Bhāratas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion the symptoms of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.
Bhagavad Gita 14.13
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 13
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च | तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ||१४-१३||
aprakāśo.apravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca . tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ||14-13||
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
Bhagavad Gita 14.14
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 14
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् | तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ||१४-१४||
yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṃ yāti dehabhṛt . tadottamavidāṃ lokānamalānpratipadyate ||14-14||
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.
Bhagavad Gita 14.15
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 15
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते | तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ||१४-१५||
rajasi pralayaṃ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate . tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate ||14-15||
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.
Bhagavad Gita 14.16
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
The result of pious action is pure and is said to be in the mode of goodness. But action done in the mode of passion results in misery, and action performed in the mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
Bhagavad Gita 14.17
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness and illusion.
Bhagavad Gita 14.18
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
Bhagavad Gita 14.19
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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||
When one properly sees that in all activities no other performer is at work than these modes of nature and he knows the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental to all these modes, he attains My spiritual nature.
Bhagavad Gita 14.20
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 20
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् | जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ||१४-२०||
guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān . janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto.amṛtamaśnute ||14-20||
When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes associated with the material body, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life.
Bhagavad Gita 14.21
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 21
अर्जुन उवाच | कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो | किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ||१४-२१||
arjuna uvāca . kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho . kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate ||14-21||
Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature?
Bhagavad Gita 14.22
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 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 Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pandu, the transcendental qualities such as light, activity, and delusion are present all around, but they are not hated or desired by Me.
Bhagavad Gita 14.23
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 23
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते | गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ||१४-२३||
udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate . guṇā vartanta ityevaṃ yo.avatiṣṭhati neṅgate ||14-23||
Just as the wind carries scents from various objects, so does the embodied soul carry the mind's qualities—though he remains detached, unaffected, just as a gust of wind doesn’t affect the sky.
Bhagavad Gita 14.24
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 24
समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः | तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ||१४-२४||
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ . tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṃstutiḥ ||14-24||
The wise person who is equipoised in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, free from envy, and who is steady in both success and failure, is certainly eligible for liberation.
Bhagavad Gita 14.25
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 25
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः | सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ||१४-२५||
mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ . sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ||14-25||
One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, who is transcendental to all these material qualities, is indeed eligible for liberation.
Bhagavad Gita 14.26
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 26
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते | स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१४-२६||
māṃ ca yo.avyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate . sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate ||14-26||
One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.
Bhagavad Gita 14.27
Bhagavad Gita / Mahabharata · Chapter 14 · Verse 27
ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च | शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ||१४-२७||
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca . śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ||14-27||
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.