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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14. The Three Modes of Material Nature

14.3 mama–My; yonih–matrix of manifestation; mahat–causal substance;

brahma–supreme field;

tasmin–in that; garbham–impregnation or embryo; dadhami–generate; aham–I;

sambhavah–manifest; sarva-bhutanam–of all entities;

tatah–thereafter; bhavati–occurs; bharata–O son of Bharata.

The causal substance of the supreme field of existence is the starting point or

womb of manifestation, and it is that mahadbrahma that I impregnate, making

possible the births of all things and beings, O son of Bharata.

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14.4 sarva-yonisu–in all species of living entities; kaunteya–O son of Kunti;

murtayah–forms; sambhavanti–are born or manifest; yah–whatever;

tasam–all of them; brahma–supreme field; mahat yonih– womb of material

substance;

aham–Myself; bija-pradah–seed-giving; pita–genitor.

O son of Kunti, All living entities, whatever be the womb from which they are

made, have this supreme field of material nature as their original womb , and

that I am the seed-giving genitor.

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14.5 sattvam–mode of clarity; rajas–mode of passion; tama–mode of ignorance;

iti–thus;

gunah–qualities, modes, dispositions; prakrti– cosmic agency; sambhavah–

produced of;

nibadhnanti–condition/bind; maha-baho–O mighty-armed one;

dehe–in this body; dehinam–embodied living awareness; avyayam–immutable.

The three gunas or modes of nature, sattva (clarity/vigilance), rajas (impulsivity

/activity) and tamas (dullness/absorption), born of Prakriti, the cosmic agency

or material nature. O great warrior! The embodied immutable living awareness,

through association with them in the body, gets conditioned by these modes.

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14.6 tatra–among them; sattvam–mental clarity; nirmalatvat–being of pure

substance;

prakasakam–illuminating; anamayam–without any disruptive reaction;

sukha–happiness; sangena–association; badhnati–condition/bind;

jnana–knowledge;sangena–association; ca–also; anagha–O sinless one.

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Among these, mental clarity, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it

is free from all disturbing or dis-eased reactions (it is harmonious). O sinless

one! It conditions one by an obsession for happiness through knowledge

acquisition.

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14.7 rajo–impulsive motivation; raga’atmakam–attraction/passion-based;

viddhi–know;

trishhna–with hankering; sanga–association; samudbhavam–produced of;

tat–that; nibadhnati–binds; kaunteya–O son of Kunti;

karma-sangena–by association with fruitive activity; dehinam–the embodied

being.

Know that rajas or impulsive motivation (behind thoughts/feelings/actions) to

be passion-based and triggered by an obsession for longings. It conditions the

indwelling spirit, O son of Kunti, by an obsession for fruitive activities.

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14.8 tamas–dull disposition; tu–but; ajnanajam–product of ignorance; viddhi–

know;

mohanam–delusion-producing; sarva-dehinam–of all embodied beings;

pramada–carelessness; alasya–indolence/slackness; nidrabhih–sleepiness/day-

dreaming;

tan–that; nibadhnati–conditions/binds; bharata–O descendant of Bharata.

But know tamas or dull disposition to be born of ignorance and subjecting all

embodied beings to delusion. O descendant of Bharata! It binds one by an

obsession for mad carelessness, indolence and sleep (& dreaming).

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14.9 sattvam–mental clarity; sukhe–happiness; sanjayati–develops;

rajah– mental impulsivity; karmani–fruits of activities; bharata–O son of

Bharata;

jnanam–consciousness; avrtya–covering; tu–but; tamah–mental dullness;

pramade–folly; sanjayati–develops; uta–indeed.

Mental clarity develops a mood of happiness; mental impulsivity, O son of

Bharata, generates an urge of fruitive activity. But mental dullness, which veils

consciousness or knowledge, indeed triggers a state of craziness.

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14.10 rajas–passion; tamas–dullness; ca–also; abhibhuya–overpowering;

sattvam–clarity; bhavati–becomes prominent; bharata–O son of Bharata;

rajah– passion; sattvam–clarity; tamah–dullness; ca–also; eva–like that;

tamah–dullness; sattvam–clarity; rajah–passion; tatha–likewise.

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Overpowering passion and dullness, clarity prevails (for some time);

suppressing clarity and dullness, passion predominates, O son of Bharata! And

likewise dominating over clarity and passion, dullness holds the field.

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14.11 sarva-dvaresu–all the doorways; dehe asmin–in this body;

prakashah–illumination/attention; upajayate–develops;

jnanam–knowledge; yada–when; tada–then; vidyat–must know;

vivriddham–predominates; sattvam–clarity; iti–thus; uta–indeed.

When through all the bodily doorways (sensory instruments), a sense of

illumination (attention) shines and immediate knowledge develops, then it is to

be understood that mental clarity is indeed dominant.

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14.12 lobhah–greed; pravrttih–active outward flow; arambhah–endeavour/

planning;

karmanam–of activities; asamah–restlessness ; sprha–desire for pleasure;

rajasi–in the impulsive mode; etani–all this; jayante–arise;

vivrddhe–when there is excess; bharata-rsabha–O best of the descendants of

Bharata.

Greed, active extroversion, planning and executing of works, restlessness,

desire for pleasure- these arise when impulsiveness prevails .

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14.13. aprakasah–absence of light; apravrttih–lack of effort; ca–and;

pramadah–heedlessness; mohah–illusion, false beliefs; eva–certainly; cha–also;

tamasi–mental dullness; etani–these; jayante–are manifested;

vivrddhe–predominate; kuru-nandana–O son of Kuru.

Absence of clarity (darkness, blindness), lack of effort, heedlessness and

certainly delusion- these arise when dullness prevails.

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14.16. karmanah–of work; sukrtasya– virtuous/harmonious; ahuh–is said;

sattvikam–mode of poise & clarity; nirmalam–unsullied; phalam–result;

rajasah–of the mode of passion; tu–but; phalam–result; duhkham–misery...;

ajnanam–ignorance; tamasah–of the mode of dullness; phalam–result.

The result of virtuous or attentive action is said to be clear and pure (one gets

purified); however, the result of impulsive action is misery (suffering), while

dull action promotes ignorance.

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14.17. sattvat–from clear poised mind; sanjayate–develops; jnanam–

knowledge/ understanding

rajasah–from passionate mindedness; lobhah–greed; eva–certainly; ca–also;

pramada–recklessness; mohau–illusion; tamasah–from dull mindedness;

bhavatah–develops; ajnanam–ignorance; eva–certainly; ca–also.

From the clear poised minded develops knowledge and understanding; from the

passion-driven mind certainly greed evolves, and from the dull-witted mind

nothing but recklessness, foolishness and ignorance can emerge.

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14.18. urdhvam–upwards; gacchanti–proceed; sattva-sthah–one established in

alert clarity;

madhye–in the middle; tisthanti–remain; rajasah–the impulse-driven;

jaghanya guna–evil mode; vrtti-sthah– actively established;

adhah–downwards; gacchanti–move; tamasah–the dull-witted.

Those abiding in alert clarity elevate themselves; those abiding in impulsivity

remain at the intermediate level, while those abiding in dullness degrade

themselves.

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14.19. na–not; anyam–different from; gunebhyah–the natural dispositions;

kartaram–the performer;

yada–when; drasta anupasyati–one who sees recognises properly;

gunebhyah ca–from the dispositions of nature; param–transcendental; vetti–

know;

madbhavam–My real nature; sah–he; adhigacchati–attains/merges into.

When one, through deep observation, recognises that the natural dispositions as

the agent in all actions or that the doer of actions is not different from the

natural dispositions, and recognises oneself as beyond these phenomenal

dispositions- then one attains or merges into My Real Nature (as the pure

witnessing awareness).

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14.20. gunan–dispositions; etan–these; atitya–transcending; trin–three;

dehi–embodied living awareness; deha–body; samudbhavan–produced of;

janma–birth; mrtyu–death; jara–old age; duhkhaih–distresses;

vimuktah–being freed from; amrtam–state of immortality; asnute–enjoys.

The embodied living awareness, having transcended these three mental

dispositions which are the cause of the body, is free from the miseries tied to

birth, death and ageing and enjoys the state of immortality.

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Sattva: established in actuality or ‘what is’, conscious receptive attention

Rajas: restricted vigilance, sensitivity, receptivity owing to focus on Ambition

Tamas: loss of vigilance, alertness, receptivity, sensitivity due to Abdication.

Sattva=light & delight, present-mindedness, mindfulness.

Rajas =passion & action, object-minded, future-minded.

Tamas= negligence & indifference, absent-mindedness, mindlessness.

14.21. arjunah uvaca–Arjuna said;

kaih–by which; lingaih–traits; trin–three; gunan–conditions; etan–all this;

atitah–having transcended; bhavati–become; prabho–Lord;

...kim–what; acarah–behavior; katham–what; ca–also; etan–these;

trin–three; gunan–qualities; ativartate–transcend.

Arjuna said: Lord! What are the marks of one who has transcended these three

conditions? How does the one behave? And how does the one rise above these

three binding conditions?

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14.22-25. sri-bhagavan uvaca–Bhagavan said;

prakasam ca–and alertness; pravrttim ca–and activity;

moham–delusion; eva ca–also; pandava–O son of Pandu;

na dvesti–no aversion; sampravrttani–on predominating;

na nivrttani–nor in their absence; kanksati–long for;

udasina-vat–as if neutral; asinah–remaining;

gunaih–by the modes; yah–one who; na–not; vicalyate–perturbed;

gunah–the qualities; vartante–function; iti evam–knowing thus;

yah–one who; avatisthati–remains; na–never; ingate–waver;

sama–alike; duhkha–in distress; sukhah–in happiness; sva-sthah–self poised;

sama–alike; losta–a lump of earth; asma–stone; kancanah–gold;

tulya–equally disposed; priya–dear; apriyah–undesirable; dhirah–steady;

tulya–equally disposed; ninda–in blame; atma-samstutih–in praise of self;

mana–in honor; apamanayoh–insult; tulyah–alike;

tulyah–alike; mitra–friend; ari–enemy; paksayoh–towards;

sarva–all; arambha–endeavour; parityagi–renouncer;

guna-atitah–having transcended the modes; sah–that person; ucyate–is said to

be.

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Bhagavan said:

O son of Pandu! One who shows no aversion to alertness, activity or delusion

when any of them prevails nor longs for any of them when absent…

Who rests as if neutral and unperturbed by the prevailing mode or mood, who,

realising that gunas alone operate, remains steady, not wavering in any

situations…

Who is self-abiding alike in pleasure and in pain, regarding a clod of earth, a

stone and gold as of equal worth, who is same towards the loving and the

hating, who is unmoved by praise and blame alike…

Who is alike in honour and in humiliation, who views friend and foe alike, who

has abandoned all sense of agency—such a person is said to have transcended

the conditions imposed by natural forces.

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14.26. mam–unto Me; ca–also; yah–whoever; avyabhicarena–without

wavering;

bhakti-yogena–by loving enlightened communion; sevate–serves;

sah–that one; gunan–modes of material nature; samatitya–transcending; etan–

all this;

brahmabhuyaya–to become the supreme original being; kalpate–is considered.

The one who serves Me (as the eternal immutable basis of their own being and

of everything else) through loving enlightened communion with unswerving

faith can transcend these material modes and is viewed fit to become one with

the supreme impersonal being.

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14.27. brahmano–of the supreme impersonal being; hi–certainly; pratistham–

the basis;

aham–I am; amrtasya–of the immortal; avyayasya–of the immutable;ca–also;

sasvatasya–of the eternal; ca–and; dharmasya–of the cosmic law of nature;

sukhasya–of the happiness; aikantikasya–ultimate; ca–also

Indeed, I am the basic support of the original supreme impersonal being, which

is of immortal, immutable nature, the eternal Law and the absolute unending

bliss.

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6.3. For the silent practitioner (muneh), aspiring for spiritual elevation through

yoga (arurukshor), action (unat...tached doing) is said to be the means. For one

having ascended the heights of yoga (yogarudha), quiescence (shamah:

cessation of all thoughts of becoming, equanimity) is indeed said to be the way.

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6.4. When one ceases to be attached to or bound by (anushajjate) sensory

objects and experiences (indriyartheshu) and to one’s actions, then after having

abandoned all self-centred hankerings and objectives (including all thoughts of

becoming), one is said to have ascended the heights of spiritual communion

(yogarudha).

6.5. One should uplift one’s relative or mental self through one’s real Being.

One should not downgrade oneself. For the mental self is verily both one’s own

ally (bandhu) and foe (ripu).

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6.5. By the power of the Atman, one should uplift (uddharet) oneself! The

stature of Atman should never be lowered! (avasadayet) For, verily one is an

ally of the Atman as well as an enemy of the Atman.

6.6. To one whose mental self (what I think, believe, feel, imagine, say myself

to be) has surrendered its dominant position (jitah) to the real Being (what I

AM truly), the surrendered psychological self (jitatma) is an ally for oneself.

But to one, whose real Being is completely veiled by the dominant relative self

(anatmanah), the latter acts like an enemy (shatru) towards oneself.

6.7 The mind having surrendered (jitatmanah) to the Self or Supreme Being

(paramatma), radiates total peace (prashanta) in a steady manner and remains

unperturbed (samahitah) by experiences in situations of heat and cold,

happiness and distress as well as of honour and dishonour.

6.8. One is called a yogi when, in mindful attention (yukta), one experiences

the total joy of Being (triptatma), when there is actual knowing and realising

(gnyana-vignyana), when one is established in stillness of being (kutastha),

when one’s sensory instruments are totally surrendered (vijitendriyah), and

when a clod, a stone and gold appear as similar. (The yogi looks at life from the

perspective of total nature, where everything is enlightened as it is without

mental concepts and values superimposed on them.)

6.9 One is said to be still further advanced when one considers all – whether a

well-wisher, a friend, a foe, a neutral person, a mediator, a competitor, an ally,

a pious person, and even a sinner – with the same enlightening intelligence or

vision (sama buddhi –even vision).

6.10. Let the yogi be constantly in meditative/mindful attention (yunjita),

remaining alone (ekaki) in a secluded private place, without entertaining any

hopes and expectations (nirashi), without holding on to anything (aparigraha),

with the movements of consciousness (in imagination and in body) completely

relaxed (yata-chittatma).

koosradha@gmail.com

Koosraj KORA VENCIAH 29.11.2010