Chapter 14 · Verse 19

Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति।गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati

Word Meanings

na — no; anyam — other; guṇebhyaḥ — of the guṇas; kartāram — agents of action; yadā — when; draṣhṭā — the seer; anupaśhyati — see; guṇebhyaḥ — to the modes of nature; cha — and; param — transcendental; vetti — know; mat-bhāvam — my divine nature; saḥ — they; adhigachchhati — attain

Language:

Translation

When the seer perceives no agent of action other than the gunas, and knows that which is beyond the gunas, he attains My divine nature.

Commentary

न not? अन्यम् other? गुणेभ्यः than the Gunas? कर्तारम् agent? यदा when? द्रष्टा the seer? अनुपश्यति beholds? गुणेभ्यः than the alities? च and? परम् higher? वेत्ति knows? मद्भावम् My Being? सः he? अधिगच्छति,attains to.Commentary The Supreme Self is in no way contaminated by the alities. The liberated sage exclaims I am the witness of the alities. I am neither the enjoyer nor the doer. The alities form the motive power of all actions. I am beyond the Gunas. The Gunas alone are responsible for all actions. I am entirely distinct from the alities. I am pure consciousness. I cannot be touched by the alities. I am like the ether.When a man gets illumination or attains knowledge of the Self? when he realises that there is no agent except the Gunas which are themselves modified as the bodies? the senses and their objects? when he knows that it is the Gunas only that become the agent in all transformations? in all states and in all actions? and when he realises the Supreme Self Who is distinct from the Gunas? Who is the silent witness of the Gunas and their functions? he attains to My state (liberation)? i.e.? becomes identical with Me. He becomes a Gunatita? i.e.? one who has transcended the three Gunas.