Chapter 2 · Verse 45

Transcendental Knowledge

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन। निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान्

trai-guṇya-viṣhayā vedā nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho niryoga-kṣhema ātmavān

Word Meanings

trai-guṇya viṣhayāḥ vedāḥ nistrai-guṇyaḥ bhava arjuna nirdvandvaḥ nitya-sattva-sthaḥ niryoga-kṣhemaḥ ātma-vān

Translation

The Vedas deal with the three modes of material nature. Rise above these three modes, O Arjuna — be free from dualities, ever established in pure truth, unconcerned with gain and security, and rooted in the Self.

Commentary

त्रैगुण्यविषयाः deal with the three attributes? वेदाः the Vedas? निस्त्रैगुण्यः without these three attributes? भव be? अर्जुन O Arjuna निर्द्वन्द्वः free from the pairs of opposites? नित्यसत्त्वस्थः ever remaining in the Sattva (goodness)? निर्योगक्षेमः free from (the thought of) acisition and preservation? आत्मवान् established in the Self.Commentary Guna means attribute or ality. It is substance as well as ality. Nature (Prakriti) is made up of three Gunas? viz.? Sattva (purity? light or harmony)? Rajas (passion or motion) and Tamas (darkness or inertia). The pairs of opposites are heat and cold? pleasure and pain? gain and loss? victory and defeat? honour and dishonour? praise and censure. He who is anxious about new acuqisitions or about the preservation of his old possessions cannot have peace of mind. He is ever restless. He cannot concentrate or meditate on the Self. He cannot practise virtue. Therefore? Lord Krishna advises Arjuna that he should be free from the thought of acisition and preservation of things. (Cf.IX.20?21).