Chapter 14 · Verse 25

Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते

mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate

Word Meanings

māna — honor; apamānayoḥ — dishonor; tulyaḥ — equal; tulyaḥ — equal; mitra — friend; ari — foe; pakṣhayoḥ — to the parties; sarva — all; ārambha — enterprises; parityāgī — renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ — risen above the three modes of material nature; saḥ — they; uchyate — are said to have

Language:

Translation

Equal in honor and dishonor, the same toward friend and foe, renouncing all selfish undertakings—such a one is said to have transcended the three gunas.

Commentary

मानापमानयोः in honour and dishonour? तुल्यः the same? तुल्यः the same? मित्रारिपक्षयोः to friend and foe? सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी abandoning all undertakings? गुणातीतः crossed the Gunas? सः he? उच्यते is said.Commentary He keeps a balanced mind in honour and dishonour. He is the same to friend and foe. He is not affected by the dual throng. He has risen above the Gunas. He rests in his own essential nature as ExistenceKnowledgeBliss Absolute. He abids in his own Self. He is a Gunatita (one who has transcended the alities of Nature) who is not affected by the play of the alities. He keeps an even outlook amidst changes. He maintains a clam eilibrium.He abandons all actions that can bring visible or invisible fruits or results but he does actions that are necessary for the bare maintenance of his body. The alities described in verses 23? 24 and 25? such as indifference? etc.? are the means for attaining liberation. They represent the ideal that you should have before you. The aspirant should cultivate them. But one attains knowledge of the Self when he abides in his own true nature. These attributes form part and parcel of his nature and serve as marks to indicate that he has crossed beyond the three alities.The Lord gives in the following verse the answer to the third estion of Arjuna How does one go beyond the three alities