| Download and install the indispensable font(s) to view Sanskrit in its full glory Read Transliterating (2) (English) to fully understand the transliteration system |
Bhagavadgītā: Chapter XIV (Guṇatrayavibhāgayoga)
The Yoga of the division of the three guṇa-s
Introduction
Now Lord Kṛṣṇa teaches Arjuna about the division of the triad of guṇa-s (sattva, rajas and tamas) or modalities of Prakṛti...
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me. In addition, note that I will use quotation marks to delimit text only when the person speaking is not Sañjaya himself (the narrator). Therefore, the words spoken by Sañjaya will not be delimited by quotation marks.
Chapter 14: Guṇatrayavibhāgayoga (The Yoga of the division of the three guṇa-s)
श्रीभगवानुवाच
परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।
यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः॥१॥
Śrībhagavānuvāca
Paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānamuttamam|
Yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhimito gatāḥ||1||
The venerable Lord (śrī-bhagavān) said (uvāca):
"I shall speak (pravakṣyāmi) once again (bhūyas) about the Supreme (param) Knowledge (jñānam), which is the best (uttamam) of the knowledges (jñānānām); knowing (jñātvā) which (yad), all (sarve) the sages (munaya) attain --or «they pass over to»-- (gatāḥ) from here --from this world-- (itas) the Most Elevated (parām) Perfection --or «Accomplishment»-- (siddhim)"||1||
इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः।
सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च॥२॥
Idaṁ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ|
Sarge'pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti ca||2||
"After resorting to/taking refuge in (āśritya) this (idam) Knowledge (jñānam), those who have become equal to Me (mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ) are not born (na upajāyante) even at the time of Creation (sarge api), nor are they disturbed (na vyathanti ca) at the time of Withdrawal --that is, of the dissolution of the universe-- (pralaye)"||2||
मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम्।
सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत॥३॥
Mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmingarbhaṁ dadhāmyaham|
Sambhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata||3||
"My (mama) Womb/Uterus (yoniḥ) (is) the Great Brahma (mahat brahma). In Him --in the Great Brahma-- (tasmin), I (aham) place (dadhāmi) the Embryo (garbham). From that (tatas) arises (bhavati) the birth (sambhavaḥ) of all beings (sarva-bhūtānām), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!"||3||
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः।
तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता॥४॥
Sarvayoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ|
Tāsāṁ brahma mahadyonirahaṁ bījapradaḥ pitā||4||
"O son of Kuntī (kaunteya)!, the Great Brahma (brahma mahat) (is) the Womb/Uterus (yoniḥ) of those forms (mūrtayaḥ... tāsām) which (yāḥ) are born (sambhavanti) in all wombs/uteruses (sarva-yoniṣu), (and) I (aham) (am) the Father (pitā) who grants the Seed (bīja-pradaḥ)"||4||
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥५॥
Sattvaṁ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ|
Nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam||5||
"The guṇa-s (guṇāḥ) «sattva (sattvam), rajas (rajas) (and) tamas (tamas iti)», which arise from Prakṛti (prakṛti-sambhavāḥ), bind (nibadhnanti), O you of great arms (mahā-bāho)!, the imperishable embodied one (dehinam avyayam) to the body (dehe)"||5||
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।
सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ॥६॥
Tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam|
Sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha||6||
"There (tatra), sattva (sattvam), which is revealer (prakāśakam) (and) free from disease (an-āmayam) because it is immaculate (nirmalatvāt), binds (badhnāti) through attachment to pleasure (sukha-saṅgena), and (ca) through attachment to knowledge (jñāna-saṅgena), O impeccable one (anagha)!"||6||
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्॥७॥
Rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam|
Tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam||7||
"Know (viddhi) that Rajas (rajas), consisting of passion (rāga-ātmakam), arises from thirst --that is, from a strong desire-- and attachment (tṛṣṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam). It --that is, rajas-- (tad) binds (nibandhnāti), O son of Kuntī (kaunteya)!, the embodied one (dehinam) through attachment to action (karma-saṅgena)"||7||
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत॥८॥
Tamastvajñānajaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarvadehinām|
Pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata||8||
"But (tu) know (viddhi) that tamas (tamas) is born of ignorance (ajñāna-jam) (and is) the deceiver (mohanam) of all embodied beings (sarva-dehinām). It --tamas-- (tad) binds (nibadhnāti) through negligence, idleness, and sleep --especially deep sleep-- (pramāda-ālasya-nidrābhiḥ), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!"||8||
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत॥९॥
Sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata|
Jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayatyuta||9||
"Sattva (sattvam) causes (one) to cling (sañjayati) to pleasure (sukhe), rajas (rajas) to action (karmaṇi), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!; but (tu) tamas (tamas), after veiling/hiding/covering (āvṛtya) knowledge (jñānam), causes (one) to cling (sañjayati uta) to negligence (pramāde)!"||9||
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत।
रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा॥१०॥
Rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata|
Rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajastathā||10||
"Sattva (sattvam) prospers/succeeds (bhavati) after subduing (abhibhūya) rajas (rajas) and (ca) tamas (tamas), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!; rajas (rajas) (prospers/succeeds after subduing) sattva (sattvam) and (ca eva) tamas (tamas); (and finally,) tamas (prospers/succeeds after subduing) sattva (sattvam) and (tathā) rajas (rajas)"||10||
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।
ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत॥११॥
Sarvadvāreṣu dehe'sminprakāśa upajāyate|
Jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṁ sattvamityuta||11||
"When (yadā) the light (prakāśaḥ) —the knowledge (jñānam)— arises (upajāyate) in all portals (sarva-dvāreṣu) of this body --lit. in this body-- (dehe asmin), then (tadā) he knows (vidyāt) that «sattva» (sattvam iti uta) has increased (vivṛddham)!"||11||
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।
रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ॥१२॥
Lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā|
Rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha||12||
"O you, the best among the descendants of Bharata (bharata-rṣabha)!, these (etāni) arise (jāyante) when rajas has increased (rajasi... vivṛddhe): Greed (lobhaḥ), externalization/external activity (pravṛttiḥ), undertaking (ārambhaḥ) of actions (karmaṇām), restlessness (aśamaḥ) (and) longing/craving (spṛhā)"||12||
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन॥१३॥
Aprakāśo'pravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca|
Tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana||13||
"O son of Kuru (kuru-nandana)!, these (etāni) arise (jāyante) when tamas has increased (tamasi... vivṛddhe): Absence of light (aprakāśaḥ), and (ca) inertia/lack of externalization (apravṛttiḥ), negligence (pramādaḥ) and (eva ca) delusion (mohaḥ)"||13||
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।
तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते॥१४॥
Yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti dehabhṛt|
Tadottamavidāṁ lokānamalānpratipadyate||14||
"When (yadā) sattva has increased (sattve pravṛddhe tu) (and) the embodied one (deha-bhṛt) attains dissolution --that is, ultimately «dies»-- (pralayaṁ yāti), then (tadā) he reaches (pratipadyate) the immaculate worlds (lokān amalān) of those who know the Most Elevated (uttama-vidām)"||14||
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।
तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते॥१५॥
Rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate|
Tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate||15||
"After getting dissolved --dying-- (pralayam gatvā) when rajas (predominates) (rajasi), he is born (jāyate) among those who are attached to action (karma-saṅgiṣu). Likewise (tathā), (if) he gets dissolved --if he dies-- (pralīnaḥ) when tamas (predominates) (tamasi), he is born (jāyate) in the wombs/uteruses of the deluded (mūḍha-yoniṣu)"||15||
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्।
रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्॥१६॥
Karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam|
Rajasastu phalaṁ duḥkhamajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam||16||
"(The wise) said (āhuḥ) that the fruit (phalam) of a good action (karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasya) (is) sattvic --relating to sattva-- (sāttvikam) (and) impeccable (nirmalam); but (tu) the fruit (phalam) of rajas (rajasaḥ) (is) pain (duḥkham), (and) the fruit (phalam) of tamas (tamasaḥ) (is) ignorance (ajñānam)"||16||
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च।
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च॥१७॥
Sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva ca|
Pramādamohau tamaso bhavato'jñānameva ca||17||
"From sattva (sattvāt) knowledge (jñānam) arises (sañjāyate), and (ca) from rajas (rajasaḥ) greed (lobhaḥ eva). Negligence and delusion (pramāda-mohau) arise (bhavataḥ) from tamas (tamasaḥ), as well as (ca) ignorance (ajñānam eva)"||17||
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥१८॥
Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ|
Jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ||18||
"The sattvic ones (sattva-sthāḥ) go (gacchanti) upward (ūrdhvam), the rajasic ones (rājasāḥ) remain (tiṣṭhanti) in the middle (madhye), (and) the tamasic ones (tāmasāḥ), who abide in the modes of the lowest guṇa --or also, «in the lowest modes of the guṇa»-- (jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ), go (gacchanti) downward (adhas)"||18||
नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति।
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति॥१९॥
Nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati|
Guṇebhyaśca paraṁ vetti madbhāvaṁ so'dhigacchati||19||
"When (yadā) the seer --the one who sees-- (draṣṭā) does not perceive (na... anupaśyati) another doer/agent (anyam... kartāram) apart from the guṇa-s (guṇebhyaḥ), and (ca) knows (vetti) beyond (param) the guṇa-s (guṇebhyaḥ), he obtains/attains (adhigacchati) My State (mad-bhāvam) --this last line could also be translated differently: «and knows that My State is beyond the guṇa-s, he obtains/attains It (that is, obtains/attains My State)»--"||19||
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।
जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते॥२०॥
Guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān|
Janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mṛtamaśnute||20||
"After going beyond (atītya) these three guṇa-s that arise from/in the body (guṇān etān... trīn... deha-samudbhavān), the embodied one (dehī) becomes fully liberated (vimuktaḥ) from birth, death, old age, and pain (janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhaiḥ), (and) attains (aśnute) immortality (amṛtam)"||20||
अर्जुन उवाच
कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो।
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते॥२१॥
Arjuna uvāca
Kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho|
Kimācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁstrīnguṇānativartate||21||
Arjuna (arjunaḥ) said (uvāca):
"By what marks (kaiḥ liṅgaiḥ), O Lord (prabho), is (bhavati) the one who has gone beyond (atītaḥ) these three guṇa-s (trīn guṇān etān) (characterized)? What (kim) (is his) conduct (ācāraḥ), and (ca) how (katham) does he go beyond (ativartate) these three guṇa-s (etān trīn guṇān)?"||21||
श्रीभगवानुवाच
प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।
त द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति॥२२॥
Śrībhagavānuvāca
Prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca mohameva ca pāṇḍava|
Ta dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati||22||
The venerable Lord (śrī-bhagavān) said (uvāca):
"O son of Pāṇḍu (pāṇḍava)!, he does not hate (na dveṣṭi) the revelation --characteristic of sattva-- (prakāśam), the exteriorization --characteristic of rajas-- (pravṛttim), and (ca... ca... ca) the delusion --characteristic of tamas-- (moham eva) when they arise (sampravṛttāni), nor (na) does he desire (them) (kāṅkṣati) when they have ceased (nivṛttāni)"||22||
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते।
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते॥२३॥
Udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate|
Guṇā vartanta ityeva yo'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate||23||
"The one (yaḥ) is seated (āsīnaḥ) as if he were indifferent (udāsīnavat), (and) is not agitated (na vicālyate) by the guṇa-s (guṇaiḥ), who (yaḥ) remains (thinking) (avatiṣṭhati) that (iti) only (eva) the guṇa-s (guṇāḥ) are moving (vartantaḥ), (and) does not move (na iṅgate)"||23||
समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।
तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः॥२४॥
Samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ|
Tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṁstutiḥ||24||
"The one who is equanimous toward pain and pleasure (sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ), who remains in His own Self (sva-sthaḥ), who is equanimous toward a lump of earth, a rock, and gold (sama-loṣṭa-aśma-kāñcanaḥ), who is equanimous toward the agreeable and the disagreeable (tulya-priya-apriyaḥ), who is firm/wise (dhīraḥ), (and) who is equanimous toward criticism and his own praise (tulya-nindā-ātma-saṁstutiḥ)"||24||
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते॥२५॥
Mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ|
Sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate||25||
"He is equanimous (tulyaḥ) toward honor and dishonor (māna-apamānayoḥ), equanimous (tulyaḥ) toward the factions called friends and enemies (mitra-ari-pakṣayoḥ), has completely renounced all undertakings (sarva-ārambha-parityāgī), and he is said (saḥ ucyate) to be beyond the guṇa-s (guṇa-atītaḥ)"||25||
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते।
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥२६॥
Māṁ ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate|
Sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate||26||
"And (ca) the one (yaḥ) who serves Me (mām... sevate) through the unfailing Yoga of devotion (avyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena), after completely going beyond (samatītya) these guṇa-s (guṇān... etān), is fit (saḥ... kalpate) to become Brahma (brahma-bhūyāya)"||26||
ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च।
शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च॥२७॥
Brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca|
Śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca||27||
"For (hi) I (aham) (am) the Base/Foundation (pratiṣṭhā) of the immortal and imperishable Brahma (brahmaṇaḥ... amṛtasya avyayasya ca), as well as (ca) of the eternal Dharma (śāśvatasya... dharmasya) and (ca) of absolute Happiness (sukhasya aikāntikasya)"||27||
Further information
This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.
For further information about Sanskrit, Yoga and Indian Philosophy; or if you simply want to comment, ask a question or correct a mistake, feel free to contact us: This is our e-mail address.
| Back to XIII. Prakṛtipuruṣavivekagayoga |  |
Continue to read XV. Puruṣottamayoga |