Gunas

Tattva-vit tu maha-baho guna-karma-vibhagayoh, guna guneshu vartanta iti matva na sajjate

But one who knows the truth, O mighty-armed, about the division of the modes of nature and their actions, understands that it is merely the modes acting upon modes, and does not become attached.

Prakriti-moha-sammudha sajjante guna-karmasu, tan akrtsna-vido mandan krtsna-vin na vicalayet

Those deluded by the modes of material nature become attached to the actions of the modes. But the person of perfect knowledge should not disturb the slow in understanding who do not know the whole truth.

Catur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagashah, tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam

The four divisions of human society were created by Me according to the modes of nature and corresponding work. Although I created this system, know that I am the non-doer and imperishable.

Prakriti purusham chaiva viddhy anadi ubhav api, vikarams cha gunams chaiva viddhi prakriti-sambhavan

Know that both Prakriti (matter) and Purusha (consciousness) are beginningless. Know also that all transformations and the three qualities (gunas) are born of Prakriti. Both material nature and the conscious observer have always existed without a prior cause.

Purushah prakriti-stho hi bhunkte prakriti-jan gunan, karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

The Purusha, situated in Prakriti, enjoys the qualities born of Prakriti. Attachment to these qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs. Identification with the gunas drives the soul into repeated births according to its attachments.

Shri bhagavan uvaca: Param bhuyah pravakshyami jnananam jnanam uttamam, yaj jnatva munayah sarve param siddhim ito gatah

The Supreme Lord says: I shall again declare that supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the highest perfection. Krishna introduces the teaching on the three gunas as the supreme knowledge leading to perfection.

Sattvam sukhe sanjayati rajah karmani bharata, jnanam avritya tu tamah pramade sanjayatyuta

Sattva attaches one to happiness, rajas to action, and tamas, covering knowledge, attaches to delusion. Each guna creates its own characteristic pull: sattva toward comfort, rajas toward activity, and tamas toward negligence.

Rajas tamas chabhihuyya sattvam bhavati bharata, rajah sattvam tamas chaiva tamah sattvam rajas tatha

Sometimes sattva prevails, dominating rajas and tamas. Sometimes rajas prevails, dominating sattva and tamas. And sometimes tamas prevails, dominating sattva and rajas. The three gunas are in constant dynamic competition within every being.

Sattvat sanjayate jnanam rajaso lobha eva cha, pramada-mohau tamaso bhavato 'jnanam eva cha

From the mode of goodness, knowledge develops. From the mode of passion, greed develops. From the mode of ignorance, foolishness, madness, and illusion develop. The quality of one's inner growth is determined by which guna is being cultivated.

Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tishthanti rajasah, jaghanya-guna-vritti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah

Those situated in sattva gradually go upward to higher planes. Those in rajas remain in the middle. Those in the abominable mode of tamas go downward. The three gunas create a vertical cosmology of ascent, stasis, and descent.

Nanyam gunebhyah kartaram yada drasthanupashyati, gunebhyas cha param vetti mad-bhavam so 'dhigacchati

When one sees that there is no agent of action other than the three gunas, and knows that which is transcendental to all these gunas, one attains My divine nature. The final insight is that all action is driven by gunas; the one who sees this transcends them.

Gunan etan atitya trin dehi deha-samudbhavan, janma-mrityu-jara-duhkhair vimukto 'mritam ashnute

When the embodied being transcends these three gunas associated with the body, they are freed from birth, death, old age, and suffering, and attains immortality.

Arjuna uvaca: Kair lingais trin gunan etan atito bhavati prabho, kim acharah katham chaitams trin gunan ativartate

Arjuna asks: What are the signs of one who has transcended the three gunas? What is their conduct, and how does one go beyond these gunas? Arjuna's question invites a practical description of the liberated person's characteristics and the method of transcendence.

Shri bhagavan uvaca: Prakasham cha pravrittim cha moham eva cha pandava, na dveshti sampravrittani na nivrittani kankhati

The Supreme Lord says: O Arjuna, one who does not hate illumination, attachment, and delusion when present, nor longs for them when absent — such a person has transcended the gunas. The transcended soul is neither attracted nor repelled by the manifestations of any guna.

Adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ, adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke

The branches of the tree extend both upward and downward, nourished by the three gunas, with sense objects as the sprouts. Its roots extend downward, binding one to actions in the human world.

arjuna uvaca: ye sastra-vidhim utsrijya yajante sraddhayanvitah, tesam nistha tu ka krishna sattvam aho rajas tamah

Arjuna asks Krishna about those who worship with faith but without following scriptural injunctions — what is their standing? Are they in sattva, rajas, or tamas? This question opens the chapter's inquiry into the three types of faith.

aharas tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyah, yajnas tapas tatha danam tesam bhedam imam srinu

Food, sacrifice, austerity, and charity are each dear to people in different ways according to their nature. Krishna introduces the threefold classification of these four important spiritual activities.

Na tad asti pṛithivyāṁ vā divi deveṣhu vā punaḥ, sattvaṁ prakṛiti-jair muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ

There is no being on earth, or in heaven among the celestial gods, that is free from the three gunas born of material nature.