Gita 14.19
नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति |
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति || 19||
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati
guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati
Shree Krishna explains that all beings are bound by the three guṇas, while the Supreme Lord is beyond them—tri-guṇātīt, transcendental to material nature. By attaching the mind to worldly things, one strengthens these guṇas; but by focusing on the divine—God, Guru, and spiritual devotion (bhakti)—the mind rises above them. Through such divine attachment, one gradually transcends the influence of the guṇas and attains the pure, godlike nature of the Supreme.
Gita 14.20
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् |
जन्ममृत्युजरादु:खैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्रुते || 20||
guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute
Just as drinking dirty water causes illness, being influenced by the three modes of material nature—ignorance (tamas), passion (rajas), and goodness (sattva)—leads to the inevitable miseries of material life: birth, disease, old age, and death. Recognising these sufferings, many seekers like the Buddha have sought liberation from them.
The Vedas prescribe karm dharma (varṇāśhram dharma), a system of duties and conduct meant to elevate individuals from ignorance and passion to goodness. However, even sattva guṇa binds the soul, like golden chains, and true liberation lies beyond it.
Shree Krishna teaches that when one transcends all three modes, one becomes free from Maya’s bondage and the cycle of life and death. The soul is inherently immortal, but its identification with the body causes the illusion of mortality. This illusion contradicts the soul’s eternal nature, which yearns for liberation and the experience of true immortality.
Gita 14.21
अर्जुन उवाच |
कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो |
किमाचार: कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते || 21||
arjuna uvācha
kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho
kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate
After hearing Shree Krishna explain the importance of rising above the three guṇas—ignorance, passion, and goodness—Arjun becomes eager to understand this state more deeply. He poses three thoughtful questions to Krishna. First, he asks about the liṅgais—the symptoms that reveal a person has transcended the guṇas. Next, he inquires about their āchāraḥ—how such liberated souls behave and conduct themselves in daily life. Finally, he seeks to know the process of ativartate—how one can rise beyond the influence of the three modes. In response, Shree Krishna answers each of these questions clearly and systematically, guiding Arjun toward the path of true spiritual transcendence.
Gita 14.22 - 23
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव |
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ् क्षति || 22||
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते |
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते || 23||
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
prakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava
na dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhati
udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgate
Shree Krishna describes the qualities of those who have transcended the three guṇas—ignorance, passion, and goodness. Such enlightened souls remain calm and undisturbed as they witness the play of the guṇas in people, objects, and situations around them. They neither resent ignorance nor become attached to goodness; instead, they act with equanimity, understanding that the world ultimately functions under God’s will.
Unlike the worldly-minded, who become anxious and reactive about the state of the world, enlightened beings focus first on purifying themselves. From this inner purity arises their natural desire to serve others selflessly, performing their duties with sincerity while leaving the results to God. As Mahatma Gandhi beautifully expressed, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Shree Krishna further explains that even when such persons notice the guṇas influencing their own mind, they remain unaffected. Recognizing that the mind is part of material nature, they do not identify with its passing thoughts or emotions. Instead, they skillfully detach from all negative or distracting thoughts, choosing only those that align with devotion and higher consciousness. This ability to stay inwardly free amid the turbulence of the mind marks the true mastery of a transcendental soul.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 11.10.2025
