CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Three Modes of Material

Nature
TEXT 1
श्रीभगवानुवाच
परं भूय: प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानिुत्तिि् । ॥
यज्ज्ञात्वा िुनय: सवे परां मसद्धिमितो गता: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi
jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam
yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve
parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you
this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the
sages have attained the supreme perfection.
TEXT 2
इदं ज्ञानिुपामश्रत्य िि साधर्म्यिागता: ।
सगेऽमप नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथद्धन्त च ॥ २ ॥
idaṁ jñānam upāśritya
mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ
sarge ’pi nopajāyante
pralaye na vyathanti ca
Translation
By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental
nature like My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of
creation or disturbed at the time of dissolution.
TEXT 3
िि योमनियहद् ब्रह्म तद्धिन्गभं दधार्म्हि् ।
सम्भव: सवयभूतानां ततो भवमत भारत ॥ ३ ॥
mama yonir mahad brahma
tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham
sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
tato bhavati bhārata
Translation
The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and
it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all
living beings, O son of Bharata.
TEXT 4
सवययोमनषु कौन्तेय िूतयय: सम्भवद्धन्त या: ।
तासां ब्रह्म िहद्योमनरहं बीजप्रद: मपता ॥ ४ ॥
sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
Translation
It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made
possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving
father.
TEXT 5
 सत्त्वं रजस्ति इमत गुणा: प्रकृमतसम्भवा: ।
मनबध्नद्धन्त िहाबाहो दे हे दे महनिव्ययि् ॥ ५ ॥
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti
guṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti mahā-bāho
dehe dehinam avyayam
Translation
Material nature consists of three modes – goodness, passion and
ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O
mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
TEXT 6
तत्र सत्त्वं मनियलत्वात्प्रकाशकिनाियि् ।
सुखसङ्गेन बध् नामत ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥ ६ ॥
tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt
prakāśakam anāmayam
sukha-saṅgena badhnāti
jñāna-saṅgena cānagha
Translation
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is
illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in
that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
TEXT 7
रजो रागात्मकं मवद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसिुद्भवि् ।
तमिबध्नामत कौन्तेय कियसङ्गेन दे महनि् ॥ ७ ॥
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi
tṛṣṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnāti kaunteya
karma-saṅgena dehinam
 Translation
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of
Kuntī, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material
fruitive actions.
TEXT 8
तिस्त्वज्ञानजं मवद्धि िोहनं सवयदेमहनाि् ।
प्रिादालस्यमनद्रामभस्तमिबध्नामत भारत ॥ ८ ॥
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi
mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
pramādālasya-nidrābhis
tan nibadhnāti bhārata
Translation
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is
the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are
madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
TEXT 9
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयमत रज: कियमण भारत ।
ज्ञानिावृत्य तु ति: प्रिादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥ ९ ॥
sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati
rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata
jñānam āvṛtya tu tamaḥ
pramāde sañjayaty uta
Translation
O son of Bharata, the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness;
passion conditions one to fruitive action; and ignorance, covering one’s
knowledge, binds one to madness.
TEXT 10
 रजस्तिश्चामभभूय सत्त्वं भवमत भारत ।
रज: सत्त्वं तिश्चैव ति: सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥ १० ॥
rajas tamaś cābhibhūya
sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaś caiva
tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
Translation
Sometimes the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes
of passion and ignorance, O son of Bharata. Sometimes the mode of
passion defeats goodness and ignorance, and at other times ignorance
defeats goodness and passion. In this way there is always competition for
supremacy.
TEXT 11
सवयद्वारे षु दे हेऽद्धिन्प्रकाश उपजायते ।
ज्ञानं यदा तदा मवद्यामद्ववृिं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥ ११ ॥
sarva-dvāreṣu dehe ’smin
prakāśa upajāyate
jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād
vivṛddhaṁ sattvam ity uta
Translation
The manifestation of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all
the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.
TEXT 12
लोभ: प्रवृमत्तरारम्भ: कियणािशि: स्पृहा ।
रजस्येतामन जायन्ते मववृिे भरतषय भ ॥ १२ ॥
lobhaḥ pravṛttir ārambhaḥ
karmaṇām aśamaḥ spṛhā
 rajasy etāni jāyante
vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha
Translation
O chief of the Bhāratas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion
the symptoms of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and
uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.
TEXT 13
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृमत्तश्च प्रिादो िोह एव च ।
तिस्येतामन जायन्ते मववृिे कुरुनन्दन ॥ १३ ॥
aprakāśo ’pravṛttiś ca
pramādo moha eva ca
tamasy etāni jāyante
vivṛddhe kuru-nandana
Translation
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru,
darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
TEXT 14
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृिे तु प्रलयं यामत दे हभृत् ।
तदोत्तिमवदां लोकानिलान्प्रमतपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥
yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu
pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛt
tadottama-vidāṁ lokān
amalān pratipadyate
Translation
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher
planets of the great sages.
TEXT 15
 रजमस प्रलयं गत्वा कियसमङ्गषु जायते ।
तथा प्रलीनस्तिमस िूढयोमनषु जायते ॥ १५ ॥
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā
karma-saṅgiṣu jāyate
tathā pralīnas tamasi
mūḍha-yoniṣu jāyate
Translation
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged
in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes
birth in the animal kingdom.
TEXT 16
कियण: सुकृतस्याहु: साद्धत्त्वकं मनियलं फलि् ।
रजसस्तु फलं दु :खिज्ञानं तिस: फलि् ॥ १६ ॥
karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ
sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam
rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham
ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam
Translation
The result of pious action is pure and is said to be in the mode of goodness.
But action done in the mode of passion results in misery, and action
performed in the mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
TEXT 17
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च ।
प्रिादिोहौ तिसो भवतोऽज्ञानिेव च ॥ १७ ॥
sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ
rajaso lobha eva ca
pramāda-mohau tamaso
bhavato ’jñānam eva ca
 Translation
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of
passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop
foolishness, madness and illusion.
TEXT 18
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छद्धन्त सत्त्वस्था िध्ये मतष्ठद्धन्त राजसा: ।
जघन्यगुणवृमत्तस्था अधो गच्छद्धन्त तािसा: ॥ १८ ॥
ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā
madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ
jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā
adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ
Translation
Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher
planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those
in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
TEXT 19
नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कताय रं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यमत ।
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेमत्त िद्भाावं सोऽमधगच्छमत ॥ १९ ॥
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ
yadā draṣṭānupaśyati
guṇebhyaś ca paraṁ vetti
mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigacchati
Translation
When one properly sees that in all activities no other performer is at work
than these modes of nature and he knows the Supreme Lord, who is
transcendental to all these modes, he attains My spiritual nature.
TEXT 20
 गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्दे ही दे हसिुद्भवान् ।
जन्मिृत्युजरादु :खैमवयिुक्तोऽिृतिश्नाु ते ॥ २० ॥
guṇān etān atītya trīn
dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhair
vimukto ’mṛtam aśnute
Translation
When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes
associated with the material body, he can become free from birth, death,
old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life.
TEXT 21
अजुयन उवाच
कैमलयङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवमत प्रभो ।
मकिाचार: कथं चैतां स्त्रीन्गुणानमतवतयते ॥ २१ ॥
arjuna uvāca
kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān
atīto bhavati prabho
kim-ācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁs
trīn guṇān ativartate
Translation
Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who
is transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how
does he transcend the modes of nature?
TEXTS 22-25
श्रीभगवानुवाच
प्रकाशं च प्रवृमत्तं च िोहिेव च पाण्डव ।
न द्वे मष्ट सम्प्रवृत्तामन न मनवृत्तामन काङ्क्षमत ॥ २२ ॥
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैयो न मवचाल्यते ।
 गुणा वतयन्त इत्येवं योऽवमतष्ठमत नेङ्गते ॥ २३ ॥
सिदु :खसुख: स्वस्थ: सिलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: ।
तुल्यमप्रयामप्रयो धीरस्तुल्यमनन्दात्मसंस्तुमत: ॥ २४ ॥
िानापिानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्राररपक्षयो: ।
सवाय रम्भपररत्यागी गुणातीत: स उच्यते ॥ २५ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca
moham eva ca pāṇḍava
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni
na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati

udāsīna-vad āsīno
guṇair yo na vicālyate
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ
yo ’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ
sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras
tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ

mānāpamānayos tulyas
tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī
guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pāṇḍu, he who does
not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or
long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed
through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral
and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is
situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks
upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who
is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated
equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike
both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities –
such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature.
TEXT 26
िां च योऽव्यमभचारे ण भद्धक्तयोगेन सेवते ।
स गुणान्सितीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥ २६ ॥
māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
Translation
One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances,
at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the
level of Brahman.
TEXT 27
ब्रह्मणो मह प्रमतष्ठाहििृतस्याव्ययस्य च ।
शाश्वतस्य च धियस्य सुखस्यैकाद्धन्तकस्य च ॥ २७ ॥
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham
amṛtasyāvyayasya ca
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikāntikasya ca
Translation
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal,
imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate
happiness.