श्री भगवानुवाचपरं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣhyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ
The Blessed Lord said: I shall once again declare the supreme knowledge, the highest of all wisdom, by knowing which all the sages have attained the highest perfection beyond this world.
Word meanings: śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Divine Lord said; param—supreme; bhūyaḥ—again; pravakṣhyāmi—I shall explain; jñānānām—of all knowledge; jñānam uttamam—the supreme wisdom; yat—which; jñātvā—knowing; munayaḥ—saints; sarve—all; parām—highest; siddhim—perfection; itaḥ—through this; gatāḥ—attained
इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः।सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च
idaṁ jñānam upāśhritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ sarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha
Those who take refuge in this knowledge and attain My nature are not born even at the time of creation, nor do they suffer at the time of dissolution.
Word meanings: idam—this; jñānam—wisdom; upāśhritya—take refuge in; mama—mine; sādharmyam—of similar nature; āgatāḥ—having attained; sarge—at the time of creation; api—even; na—not; upajāyante—are born; pralaye—at the time of dissolution; na-vyathanti—they will not experience misery; cha—and
मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्।संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत
mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata
The great nature, Prakṛiti, is My womb; in it I place the seed, and from that arises the birth of all beings, O Arjuna.
Word meanings: mama—my; yoniḥ—womb; mahat brahma—the total material substance, prakṛiti; tasmin—in that; garbham—womb; dadhāmi—impregnate; aham—I; sambhavaḥ—birth; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living beings; tataḥ—thereby; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat;
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः।तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता
sarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
In all wombs whatever forms come into being, O Arjuna, the great material nature is their womb, and I am the seed-giving father.
Word meanings: sarva—all; yoniṣhu—species of life; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mūrtayaḥ—forms; sambhavanti—are produced; yāḥ—which; tāsām—of all of them; brahma-mahat—great material nature; yoniḥ—womb; aham—I; bīja-pradaḥ—seed-giving; pitā—Father
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः।निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥ nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam
O mighty-armed one, the three gunas—goodness, passion, and ignorance—born of material nature, bind the imperishable soul to the body.
Word meanings: sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; iti—thus; guṇāḥ—modes; prakṛiti—material nature; sambhavāḥ—consists of; nibadhnanti—bind; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; dehe—in the body; dehinam—the embodied soul; avyayam—eternal
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ
tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayam sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha
Among these, sattva, being pure, is illuminating and free from affliction; yet it binds the embodied soul through attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge, O sinless one.
Word meanings: tatra—amongst these; sattvam—mode of goodness; nirmalatvāt—being purest; prakāśhakam—illuminating; anāmayam—healthy and full of well-being; sukha—happiness; saṅgena—attachment; badhnāti—binds; jñāna—knowledge; saṅgena—attachment; cha—also; anagha—Arjun, the sinless one
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam
Know that rajas, the mode of passion, is born of craving and attachment. It binds the embodied soul, O Arjuna, through attachment to action.
Word meanings: rajaḥ—mode of passion; rāga-ātmakam—of the nature of passion; viddhi—know; tṛiṣhṇā—desires; saṅga—association; samudbhavam—arises from; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; karma-saṅgena—through attachment to fruitive actions; dehinam—the embodied soul
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
Know that tamas, born of ignorance, deludes all embodied beings. It binds through negligence, laziness, and sleep, O Arjuna.
Word meanings: tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; tu—but; ajñāna-jam—born of ignorance; viddhi—know; mohanam—illusion; sarva-dehinām—for all the embodied souls; pramāda—negligence; ālasya—laziness; nidrābhiḥ—and sleep; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत
sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta
Goodness binds one to happiness, passion to action, O Arjuna; but ignorance, veiling wisdom, binds one to heedlessness.
Word meanings: sattvam—mode of goodness; sukhe—to happiness; sañjayati—binds; rajaḥ—mode of passion; karmaṇi—toward actions; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; jñānam—wisdom; āvṛitya—clouds; tu—but; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; pramāde—to delusion; sañjayati—binds; uta—indeed
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत।रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा
rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
O Arjuna, goodness prevails by overpowering passion and ignorance; passion prevails by overpowering goodness and ignorance; and likewise, ignorance prevails by overpowering goodness and passion.
Word meanings: rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; abhibhūya—prevails; sattvam—mode of goodness; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; rajaḥ—mode of passion; sattvam—mode of goodness; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; eva—indeed; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tathā—also
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत
sarva-dvāreṣhu dehe ’smin prakāśha upajāyate jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛiddhaṁ sattvam ity uta
When the light of knowledge shines through all the gates of this body, know then that the mode of goodness has grown dominant.
Word meanings: sarva—all; dvāreṣhu—through the gates; dehe—body; asmin—in this; prakāśhaḥ—illumination; upajāyate—manifest; jñānam—knowledge; yadā—when; tadā—then; vidyāt—know; vivṛiddham—predominates; sattvam—mode of goodness; iti—thus; uta—certainly;
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ
lobhaḥ pravṛittir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśhamaḥ spṛihā rajasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe bharatarṣhabha
Greed, restless activity, the undertaking of selfish actions, discontent, and craving—these arise when the mode of passion prevails, O best of the Bharatas.
Word meanings: lobhaḥ—greed; pravṛittiḥ—activity; ārambhaḥ—exertion; karmaṇām—for fruitive actions; aśhamaḥ—restlessness; spṛihā—craving; rajasi—of the mode of passion; etāni—these; jāyante—develop; vivṛiddhe—when predominates; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—the best of the Bharatas, Arjun;
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन
aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana
When ignorance prevails, O joy of the Kurus, there arise darkness, inaction, carelessness, and delusion.
Word meanings: aprakāśhaḥ—nescience; apravṛittiḥ—inertia; cha—and; pramādaḥ—negligence; mohaḥ—delusion; eva—indeed; cha—also; tamasi—mode of ignorance; etāni—these; jāyante—manifest; vivṛiddhe—when dominates; kuru-nandana—the joy of the Kurus, Arjun
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते
yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate
When one dies at a time when sattva predominates, one attains the pure, stainless worlds of those who know the Highest.
Word meanings: yadā—when; sattve—in the mode of goodness; pravṛiddhe—when premodinates; tu—indeed; pralayam—death; yāti—reach; deha-bhṛit—the embodied; tadā—then; uttama-vidām—of the learned; lokān—abodes; amalān—pure; pratipadyate—attains;
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate
Dying when passion prevails, one is born among those attached to action; dying when ignorance prevails, one takes birth in the wombs of the deluded.
Word meanings: rajasi—in the mode of passion; pralayam—death; gatvā—attaining; karma-saṅgiṣhu—among people driven by work; jāyate—are born; tathā—likewise; pralīnaḥ—dying; tamasi—in the mode of ignorance; mūḍha-yoniṣhu—in the animal kingdom; jāyate—takes birth
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्।रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्
karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam
The fruit of righteous action is said to be pure and sattvic; the fruit of rajas is suffering, and the fruit of tamas is ignorance.
Word meanings: karmaṇaḥ—of action; su-kṛitasya—pure; āhuḥ—is said; sāttvikam—mode of goodness; nirmalam—pure; phalam—result; rajasaḥ—mode of passion; tu—indeed; phalam—result; duḥkham—pain; ajñānam—ignorance; tamasaḥ—mode of ignorance; phalam—result
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च।प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च
sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva cha pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha
From goodness arises knowledge, from passion arises greed, and from ignorance arise negligence, delusion, and folly.
Word meanings: sattvāt—from the mode of goodness; sañjāyate—arises; jñānam—knowledge; rajasaḥ—from the mode of passion; lobhaḥ—greed; eva—indeed; cha—and; pramāda—negligence; mohau—delusion; tamasaḥ—from the mode of ignorance; bhavataḥ—arise; ajñānam—ignorance; eva—indeed; cha—and
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः
ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ
Those established in goodness rise upward; those ruled by passion remain in the middle; and those steeped in the lowest quality of ignorance sink downward.
Word meanings: ūrdhvam—upward; gachchhanti—rise; sattva-sthāḥ—those situated in the mode of goodness; madhye—in the middle; tiṣhṭhanti—stay; rājasāḥ—those in the mode of passion; jaghanya—abominable; guṇa—quality; vṛitti-sthāḥ—engaged in activities; adhaḥ—down; gachchhanti—go; tāmasāḥ—those in the mode of ignorance
नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति।गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati
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.
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
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते
guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute
When the embodied soul transcends these three gunas from which the body arises, it is freed from birth, death, old age, and sorrow, and attains immortality.
Word meanings: guṇān—the three modes of material nature; etān—these; atītya—transcending; trīn—three; dehī—the embodied; deha—body; samudbhavān—produced of; janma—birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; duḥkhaiḥ—misery; vimuktaḥ—freed from; amṛitam—immortality; aśhnute—attains
अर्जुन उवाचकैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो।किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते
arjuna uvācha kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate
Arjuna said: By what signs is one known who has transcended these three gunas, O Lord? What is their conduct, and how does one rise beyond these three gunas?
Word meanings: arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun inquired; kaiḥ—by what; liṅgaiḥ—symptoms; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; etān—these; atītaḥ—having transcended; bhavati—is; prabho—Lord; kim—what; āchāraḥ—conduct; katham—how; cha—and; etān—these; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; ativartate—transcend
श्री भगवानुवाचप्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha prakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava na dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhati
The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, activity, or delusion when they arise, O Arjuna, nor longs for them when they cease;
Word meanings: śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; prakāśham—illumination; cha—and; pravṛittim—activity; cha—and; moham—delusion; eva—even; cha—and; pāṇḍava—Arjun, the son of Pandu; na dveṣhṭi—do not hate; sampravṛittāni—when present; na—nor; nivṛittāni—when absent; kāṅkṣhati—longs;
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते।गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते
udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgate
He who sits unconcerned and is not disturbed by the guṇas, who remains steady and unwavering, knowing that it is the guṇas alone that act.
Word meanings: udāsīna-vat—neutral; āsīnaḥ—situated; guṇaiḥ—to the modes of material nature; yaḥ—who; na—not; vichālyate—are disturbed; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature; vartante—act; iti-evam—knowing it in this way; yaḥ—who; avatiṣhṭhati—established in the self; na—not; iṅgate—wavering
समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ
One who is alike in happiness and sorrow, who is established in the Self, who regards a clod of earth, a stone, and gold as equal, who is the same toward the pleasant and the unpleasant, who is steady, and to whom blame and praise are one and the same—
Word meanings: sama—alike; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; sva-sthaḥ—established in the self; sama—equally; loṣhṭa—a clod; aśhma—stone; kāñchanaḥ—gold; tulya—of equal value; priya—pleasant; apriyaḥ—unpleasant; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—the same; nindā—blame; ātma-sanstutiḥ—praise;
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते
mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate
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.
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
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते।स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते
māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
One who serves Me with unwavering devotion transcends these three qualities of nature and becomes fit to realize Brahman.
Word meanings: mām—me; cha—only; yaḥ—who; avyabhichāreṇa—unalloyed; bhakti-yogena—through devotion; sevate—serve; saḥ—they; guṇān—the three modes of material nature; samatītya—rise above; etān—these; brahma-bhūyāya—level of Brahman; kalpate—comes to
ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च।शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha
For I am the foundation of Brahman—the immortal, the imperishable—of eternal dharma, and of absolute bliss.
Word meanings: brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahman; hi—only; pratiṣhṭhā—the basis; aham—I; amṛitasya—of the immortal; avyayasya—of the imperishable; cha—and; śhāśhvatasya—of the eternal; cha—and; dharmasya—of the dharma; sukhasya—of bliss; aikāntikasya—unending; cha—and
