Chapter 14

श्री भगवानुवाच · śrī bhagavānuvāca

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

paraṃ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṃ jñānamuttamam |yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṃ siddhimito gatāḥ ||

The Blessed Lord said, "I will again declare to thee that supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, having known which all the sages have gone to supreme perfection after this life."

Lord Shri Krishna continued: Now I will reveal to you the wisdom that is beyond knowledge, by attaining which the sages have reached perfection.

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

idaṃ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ |sarge'pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti ca ||

Those who, having taken refuge in this knowledge, have attained unity with Me, are neither born at the time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution.

Dwelling in wisdom and realizing My divinity, they are not reborn when the universe is recreated at the beginning of every cycle, nor are they affected when it is dissolved.

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्।संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत॥

mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmin garbhaṃ dadhāmyaham |saṃbhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tato bhavati bhārata ||

My womb is the great Brahma; in it I place the germ; thence, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings.

The eternal cosmos is My womb, in which I plant the seed from which all beings are born, O prince!

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

sarvayoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ |tāsāṃ brahma mahadyonirahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā ||

Whatever forms are produced, O Arjuna, in any womb whatsoever, the great Brahma is their womb, and I am the seed-giving father.

O illustrious son of Kunti! Through whatever wombs men are born, it is the Spirit itself that conceives, and I am their father.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः।निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥

sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisaṃbhavāḥ |nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam ||

These qualities, O Arjuna, born of Nature, bind fast in the body of the embodied, the indestructible: purity, passion, and inertia.

Purity, passion, and ignorance are the qualities that the law of nature brings forth. They fetter the free spirit in all beings.

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ॥

tatra sattvaṃ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam |sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha ||

Of these, sattva, which is luminous and healthy due to its stainlessness, binds one by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless one.

O Sinless One! Of these, purity, being luminous, strong, and invulnerable, binds one with its yearning for happiness and illumination.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्॥

rajo rāgātmakaṃ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam |tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ||

Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action.

Passion, engendered by thirst for pleasure and attachment, binds the soul through its fondness for activities.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत॥

tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām |pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ||

But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.

But Ignorance, the product of darkness, stupefies the senses of all embodied beings, binding them with chains of folly, indolence, and lethargy.

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

sattvaṃ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata |jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayatyuta ||

Sattva attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, verily shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness.

Purity brings happiness, passion brings commotion, and ignorance, which obscures wisdom, leads to a life of failure.

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

rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata |rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajastathā ||

Now, O Arjuna, Sattva prevails, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; then Rajas, having overpowered Sattva and Tamas; and then Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas.

O Prince! Purity prevails when passion and ignorance are overcome; passion, when purity and ignorance are overcome; and ignorance when it is overcome by purity and passion.

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत॥

sarvadvāreṣu dehe'sminprakāśa upajāyate |jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ||

When the wisdom-light shines through every gate of this body, then it may be known that Sattva is predominant.

When the light of knowledge gleams forth from all the gates of the body, then be sure that purity prevails.

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ॥

lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā |rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha ||

Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, and longing—these arise when Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna.

O best of Indians! Avarice, the impulse to act, and the beginning of action itself are all due to the dominance of passion.

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन॥

aprakāśo'pravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca |tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ||

Darkness, inertia, carelessness, and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.

Darkness, stagnation, folly, and infatuation are the results of the dominance of ignorance, O joy of the Kuru clan!

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते॥

yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṃ yāti dehabhṛt |tadottamavidāṃ lokānamalānpratipadyate ||

If the embodied one meets death when Sattva is predominant, then they attain the spotless worlds of the knowers of the Highest.

When purity prevails, the soul, upon leaving the body, passes on to the pure regions where those who know the Highest reside.

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते॥

rajasi pralayaṃ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate |tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate ||

Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the thoughtless.

When passion prevails, the soul is reborn among those who love activity; when ignorance rules, it enters the wombs of the ignorant.

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्।रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्॥

karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam |rajasastu phalaṃ duḥkhamajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam ||

They say that the fruit of good action is Sattvic and pure; indeed, the fruit of Rajas is pain, and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance.

They say the fruit of a meritorious action is spotless and pure; the outcome of passion is misery, and of ignorance, darkness.

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

sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca |pramādamohau tamaso bhavato'jñānameva ca ||

From Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.

Purity engenders wisdom, passion avarice, and ignorance folly, infatuation, and darkness.

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

ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ |jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ||

Those seated in Sattva ascend; those of Rajasic nature dwell in the middle; and those of Tamasic nature, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, descend.

When purity is in the ascendant, the man evolves; when passion is in the ascendant, he neither evolves nor degenerates; when ignorance is in the ascendant, he is lost.

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

nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati |guṇebhyaśca paraṃ vetti madbhāvaṃ so'dhigacchati ||

When the seer beholds no agent other than the Gunas and knows that which is higher than them, he attains to My Being.

As soon as one understands that it is only the qualities that act and nothing else, and perceives that which is beyond, they attain My divine nature.

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते॥

guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān |janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mṛtamaśnute ||

The embodied one, having crossed beyond these three Gunas from which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay, and pain, and attains immortality.

When the soul transcends the Qualities, which are the real cause of physical existence, then, freed from birth and death, from old age and misery, he drinks the nectar of immortality.

अर्जुन उवाच · arjuna uvāca

कैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो।किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते॥

kairliṃgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho |kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate ||

Arjuna said, "What are the marks of one who has transcended the three qualities, O Lord? What is their conduct, and how do they go beyond these three qualities?"

Arjuna asked, "My Lord, how can one recognize someone who has transcended the qualities? How do they act and live beyond them?"

श्री भगवानुवाच · śrī bhagavānuvāca

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

prakāśaṃ ca pravṛttiṃ ca mohameva ca pāṇḍava |na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ||

The Blessed Lord said, "When light, activity, and delusion are present, he does not hate them, nor does he long for them when they are absent.

Lord Shri Krishna replied: O Prince! He who does not shun the quality that is present and does not long for that which is absent;

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते।गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते॥

udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate |guṇā vartanta ityeva yo'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate ||

He who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the dualities, and who, knowing that the dualities are active, is self-centered and does not move.

He who maintains an attitude of indifference, who is not disturbed by the qualities, who realizes that it is only they who act, and remains calm;

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः॥

samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ |tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṃstutiḥ ||

Who is the same in pleasure and pain, who dwells in the Self, to whom a clod of earth, a stone, and gold are all alike, who is the same to the dear and the unfriendly, who is firm, and to whom censure and praise are one and the same.

Who accepts pain and pleasure as they come, is centered in their Self, to whom a piece of clay, stone, or gold are all the same, who neither likes nor dislikes, who is steadfast, indifferent alike to praise or censure;

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते॥

mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ |sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ||

Who is the same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have transcended the dualities.

Who looks equally upon honor and dishonor, loves friends and foes alike, and abandons all initiative, such is he who transcends the qualities.

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते।स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥

māṃ ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhakिtayogena sevate |sa guṇānsamatītyaitān brahmabhūyāya kalpate ||

And he who serves Me with unwavering devotion, he, crossing beyond the dualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.

And he who serves Me alone, with unwavering devotion, shall overcome the Qualities and become one with the Eternal.

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च।शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च॥

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhā'hamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca |śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ||

For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal, immutable, and everlasting Dharma, and absolute bliss.

For I am the home of the spirit, the continual source of immortality, eternal righteousness, and infinite joy.