The three gunas of nature — sattva, rajas and tamas — how each binds the embodied self, what each produces in life and after death, and the marks of the one who has gone beyond all three.

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The verses

1. BG 14.1

   श्री भगवानुवाच परं 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 will again declare to thee that supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, having known which all the sages have gone to supreme perfection after this life."

2. BG 14.2

   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, having taken refuge in this knowledge, have attained unity with Me, are neither born at the time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution.

3. BG 14.3

   मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्। संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ॥

   mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata ||

   My womb is the great Brahma; in it I place the germ; thence, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings.

4. BG 14.4

   सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः। तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥

   sarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā ||

   Whatever forms are produced, O Arjuna, in any womb whatsoever, the great Brahma is their womb, and I am the seed-giving father.

5. BG 14.5

   सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः। निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥

   sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥ nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam ||

   These qualities, O Arjuna, born of Nature, bind fast in the body of the embodied, the indestructible: purity, passion, and inertia.

6. BG 14.6

   तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्। सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥

   tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayam sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha ||

   Of these, sattva, which is luminous and healthy due to its stainlessness, binds one by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless one.

7. BG 14.7

   रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्। तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥

   rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam ||

   Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action.

8. BG 14.8

   तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्। प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥

   tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata ||

   But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.

9. BG 14.9

   सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत। ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥

   sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta ||

   Sattva attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, verily shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness.

10. BG 14.10

    रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत। रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥

    rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā ||

    Now, O Arjuna, Sattva prevails, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; then Rajas, having overpowered Sattva and Tamas; and then Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas.

11. BG 14.11

    सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते। ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥

    sarva-dvāreṣhu dehe ’smin prakāśha upajāyate jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛiddhaṁ sattvam ity uta ||

    When the wisdom-light shines through every gate of this body, then it may be known that Sattva is predominant.

12. BG 14.12

    लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा। रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥

    lobhaḥ pravṛittir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśhamaḥ spṛihā rajasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe bharatarṣhabha ||

    Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, and longing—these arise when Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna.

13. BG 14.13

    अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च। तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥

    aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana ||

    Darkness, inertia, carelessness, and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.

14. BG 14.14

    यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्। तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ॥

    yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate ||

    If the embodied one meets death when Sattva is predominant, then they attain the spotless worlds of the knowers of the Highest.

15. BG 14.15

    रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते। तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥

    rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate ||

    Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the thoughtless.

16. BG 14.16

    कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्। रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥

    karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam ||

    They say that the fruit of good action is Sattvic and pure; indeed, the fruit of Rajas is pain, and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance.

17. BG 14.17

    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 Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.

18. BG 14.18

    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 seated in Sattva ascend; those of Rajasic nature dwell in the middle; and those of Tamasic nature, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, descend.

19. BG 14.19

    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 beholds no agent other than the Gunas and knows that which is higher than them, he attains to My Being.

20. BG 14.20

    गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्। जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥

    guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute ||

    The embodied one, having crossed beyond these three Gunas from which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay, and pain, and attains immortality.

21. BG 14.21

    अर्जुन उवाच कैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो। किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥

    arjuna uvācha kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate ||

    Arjuna said, "What are the marks of one who has transcended the three qualities, O Lord? What is their conduct, and how do they go beyond these three qualities?"

22. BG 14.22

    श्री भगवानुवाच प्रकाशं 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, "When light, activity, and delusion are present, he does not hate them, nor does he long for them when they are absent.

23. BG 14.23

    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, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the dualities, and who, knowing that the dualities are active, is self-centered and does not move.

24. BG 14.24

    समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः। तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥

    sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ ||

    Who is the same in pleasure and pain, who dwells in the Self, to whom a clod of earth, a stone, and gold are all alike, who is the same to the dear and the unfriendly, who is firm, and to whom censure and praise are one and the same.

25. BG 14.25

    मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः। सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥

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

    Who is the same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have transcended the dualities.

26. BG 14.26

    मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते। स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥

    māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate ||

    And he who serves Me with unwavering devotion, he, crossing beyond the dualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.

27. BG 14.27

    ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च। शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ॥

    brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha ||

    For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal, immutable, and everlasting Dharma, and absolute bliss.