ślōkaḥ
śrībhagavānuvācha
paraṃ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṃ jñānamuttamam । ॥
yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarvē parāṃ siddhimitō gatāḥ ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning
śrī-bhagavān uvācha — Bhagavan Sri Krishna said; param — transcendental; bhūyaḥ — again; pravakṣyāmi — I shall speak; jñānānām — of all knowledge; jñānam — knowledge; uttamam — the supreme; yat — which; jñātvā — knowing; munayaḥ — the sages; sarvē — all; parām — transcendental; siddhim — perfection; itaḥ — from this world; gatāḥ — attained.
Translation
Bhagavan Sri Krishna 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.
ślōkaḥ
idaṃ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ ।
sargē'pi nōpajāyantē pralayē na vyathanti cha ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
idam — this; jñānam — knowledge; upāśritya — taking shelter of; mama — My; sādharmyam — same nature; āgatāḥ — having attained; sargē api — even in the creation; na — never; upajāyantē — are born; pralayē — in the annihilation; na — nor; vyathanti — are disturbed; cha — also.
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.
ślōkaḥ
mama yōnirmahadbrahma tasmingarbhaṃ dadhāmyaham ।
sambhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tatō bhavati bhārata ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning
mama — My; yōniḥ — source of birth; mahat — the total material existence; brahma — supreme; tasmin — in that; garbham — pregnancy; dadhāmi — create; aham — I; sambhavaḥ — the possibility; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; tataḥ — thereafter; bhavati — becomes; bhārata — O son of Bharata.
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.
ślōkaḥ
sarvayōniṣu kauntēya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ ।
tāsāṃ brahma mahadyōnirahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
sarva-yōniṣu — in all species of life; kauntēya — O son of Kuntī; mūrtayaḥ — forms; sambhavanti — they appear; yāḥ — which; tāsām — of all of them; brahma — the supreme; mahat yōniḥ — source of birth in the material substance; aham — I; bīja-pradaḥ — the seed-giving; pitā — father.
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.
ślōkaḥ
sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ ।
nibadhnanti mahābāhō dēhē dēhinamavyayam ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; iti — thus; guṇāḥ — the qualities; prakṛti — material nature; sambhavāḥ — produced of; nibadhnanti — do condition; mahā-bāhō — O mighty-armed one; dēhē — in this body; dēhinam — the living entity; avyayam — eternal.
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.
ślōkaḥ
tatra sattvaṃ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam ।
sukhasaṅgēna badhnāti jñānasaṅgēna chānagha ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
tatra — there; sattvam — the mode of goodness; nirmalatvāt — being purest in the material world; prakāśakam — illuminating; anāmayam — without any sinful reaction; sukha — with happiness; saṅgēna — by association; badhnāti — conditions; jñāna — with knowledge; saṅgēna — by association; cha — also; anagha — O sinless one.
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.
ślōkaḥ
rajō rāgātmakaṃ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam ।
tannibadhnāti kauntēya karmasaṅgēna dēhinam ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
rajaḥ — the mode of passion; rāga-ātmakam — born of desire or lust; viddhi — know; tṛṣṇā — with hankering; saṅga — association; samudbhavam — produced of; tat — that; nibadhnāti — binds; kauntēya — O son of Kuntī; karma-saṅgēna — by association with fruitive activity; dēhinam — the embodied.
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.
ślōkaḥ
tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mōhanaṃ sarvadēhinām ।
pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; tu — but; ajñāna-jam — produced of ignorance; viddhi — know; mōhanam — the delusion; sarva-dēhinām — of all embodied beings; pramāda — with madness; ālasya — indolence; nidrābhiḥ — and sleep; tat — that; nibadhnāti — binds; bhārata — O son of Bharata.
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.
ślōkaḥ
sattvaṃ sukhē sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata ।
jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramādē sañjayatyuta ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning
sattvam — the mode of goodness; sukhē — in happiness; sañjayati — binds; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; karmaṇi — in fruitive activity; bhārata — O son of Bharata; jñānam — knowledge; āvṛtya — covering; tu — but; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; pramādē — in madness; sañjayati — binds; uta — it is said.
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.
ślōkaḥ
rajastamaśchābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata ।
rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaśchaiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajastathā ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning
rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; cha — also; abhibhūya — surpassing; sattvam — the mode of goodness; bhavati — becomes prominent; bhārata — O son of Bharata; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; sattvam — the mode of goodness; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; cha — also; ēva — like that; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tathā — thus.
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.
ślōkaḥ
sarvadvārēṣu dēhē'sminprakāśa upajāyatē ।
jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning
sarva-dvārēṣu — in all the gates; dēhē asmin — in this body; prakāśaḥ — the quality of illumination; upajāyatē — develops; jñānam — knowledge; yadā — when; tadā — at that time; vidyāt — know; vivṛddham — increased; sattvam — the mode of goodness; iti uta — thus it is said.
Translation
The manifestation of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.
ślōkaḥ
lōbhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā ।
rajasyētāni jāyantē vivṛddhē bharatarṣabha ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
lōbhaḥ — greed; pravṛttiḥ — activity; ārambhaḥ — endeavor; karmaṇām — in activities; aśamaḥ — uncontrollable; spṛhā — desire; rajasi — of the mode of passion; ētāni — all these; jāyantē — develop; vivṛddhē — when there is an excess; bharata-ṛṣabha — O chief of the descendants of Bharata.
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.
ślōkaḥ
aprakāśō'pravṛttiścha pramādō mōha ēva cha ।
tamasyētāni jāyantē vivṛddhē kurunandana ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
aprakāśaḥ — darkness; apravṛttiḥ — inactivity; cha — and; pramādaḥ — madness; mōhaḥ — illusion; ēva — certainly; cha — also; tamasi — the mode of ignorance; ētāni — these; jāyantē — are manifested; vivṛddhē — when developed; kuru-nandana — O son of Kuru.
Translation
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
ślōkaḥ
yadā sattvē pravṛddhē tu pralayaṃ yāti dēhabhṛt ।
tadōttamavidāṃ lōkānamalānpratipadyatē ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
yadā — when; sattvē — the mode of goodness; pravṛddhē — developed; tu — but; pralayam — dissolution; yāti — goes; dēha-bhṛt — the embodied; tadā — at that time; uttama-vidām — of the great sages; lōkān — the planets; amalān — pure; pratipadyatē — attains.
Translation
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.
ślōkaḥ
rajasi pralayaṃ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyatē ।
tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayōniṣu jāyatē ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
rajasi — in passion; pralayam — dissolution; gatvā — attaining; karma-saṅgiṣu — in the association of those engaged in fruitive activities; jāyatē — takes birth; tathā — similarly; pralīnaḥ — being dissolved; tamasi — in ignorance; mūḍha-yōniṣu — in animal species; jāyatē — takes birth.
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.
ślōkaḥ
karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam ।
rajasastu phalaṃ duḥkhamajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
karmaṇaḥ — of work; su-kṛtasya — pious; āhuḥ — is said; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; nirmalam — purified; phalam — the result; rajasaḥ — of the mode of passion; tu — but; phalam — the result; duḥkham — misery; ajñānam — nonsense; tamasaḥ — of the mode of ignorance; phalam — the result.
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.
ślōkaḥ
sattvātsañjāyatē jñānaṃ rajasō lōbha ēva cha ।
pramādamōhau tamasō bhavatō'jñānamēva cha ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
sattvāt — from the mode of goodness; sañjāyatē — develops; jñānam — knowledge; rajasaḥ — from the mode of passion; lōbhaḥ — greed; ēva — certainly; cha — also; pramāda — madness; mōhau — and illusion; tamasaḥ — from the mode of ignorance; bhavataḥ — develop; ajñānam — nonsense; ēva — certainly; cha — also.
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.
ślōkaḥ
ūrdhvaṃ gachChanti sattvasthā madhyē tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ ।
jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adhō gachChanti tāmasāḥ ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
ūrdhvam — upwards; gachchanti — go; sattva-sthāḥ — those situated in the mode of goodness; madhyē — in the middle; tiṣṭhanti — dwell; rājasāḥ — those situated in the mode of passion; jaghanya — of abominable; guṇa — quality; vṛtti-sthāḥ — whose occupation; adhaḥ — down; gachchanti — go; tāmasāḥ — persons in the mode of ignorance.
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.
ślōkaḥ
nānyaṃ guṇēbhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati ।
guṇēbhyaścha paraṃ vētti madbhaāvaṃ sō'dhigachChati ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
na — no; anyam — other; guṇēbhyaḥ — than the qualities; kartāram — performer; yadā — when; draṣṭā — a seer; anupaśyati — sees properly; guṇēbhyaḥ — to the modes of nature; cha — and; param — transcendental; vētti — knows; mat-bhāvam — to My spiritual nature; saḥ — he; adhigachchati — is promoted.
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.
ślōkaḥ
guṇānētānatītya trīndēhī dēhasamudbhavān ।
janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimuktō'mṛtamaśnautē ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
guṇān — qualities; ētān — all these; atītya — transcending; trīn — three; dēhī — the embodied; dēha — the body; samudbhavān — produced of; janma — of birth; mṛtyu — death; jarā — and old age; duḥkhaiḥ — the distresses; vimuktaḥ — being freed from; amṛtam — nectar; aśnutē — he enjoys.
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.
ślōkaḥ
arjuna uvācha
kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānētānatītō bhavati prabhō ।
kimāchāraḥ kathaṃ chaitāṃstrīnguṇānativartatē ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning
arjunaḥ uvācha — Arjuna said; kaiḥ — by which; liṅgaiḥ — symptoms; trīn — three; guṇān — qualities; ētān — all these; atītaḥ — having transcended; bhavati — is; prabhō — O my Lord; kim — what; āchāraḥ — behavior; katham — how; cha — also; ētān — these; trīn — three; guṇān — qualities; ativartatē — transcends.
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?
ślōkaḥ
śrībhagavānuvācha
prakāśaṃ cha pravṛttiṃ cha mōhamēva cha pāṇḍava ।
na dvēṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ॥ 22 ॥
udāsīnavadāsīnō guṇairyō na vichālyatē ।
guṇā vartanta ityēvaṃ yō'vatiṣṭhati nēṅgatē ॥ 23 ॥
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samalōṣṭāśmakāñchanaḥ ।
tulyapriyāpriyō dhīrastulyanindātmasaṃstutiḥ ॥ 24 ॥
mānāpamānayōstulyastulyō mitrāripakṣayōḥ ।
sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyatē ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning
śrī-bhagavān uvācha — Bhagavan Sri Krishna said; prakāśam — illumination; cha — and; pravṛttim — attachment; cha — and; mōham — illusion; ēva cha — also; pāṇḍava — O son of Pāṇḍu; na dvēṣṭi — does not hate; sampravṛttāni — although developed; na nivṛttāni — nor stopping development; kāṅkṣati — desires; udāsīna-vat — as if neutral; āsīnaḥ — situated; guṇaiḥ — by the qualities; yaḥ — one who; na — never; vichālyatē — is agitated; guṇāḥ — the qualities; vartantē — are acting; iti ēvam — knowing thus; yaḥ — one who; avatiṣṭhati — remains; na — never; iṅgatē — flickers; sama — equal; duḥkha — in distress; sukhaḥ — and happiness; sva-sthaḥ — being situated in himself; sama — equally; lōṣṭa — a lump of earth; aśma — stone; kāñchanaḥ — gold; tulya — equally disposed; priya — to the dear; apriyaḥ — and the undesirable; dhīraḥ — steady; tulya — equal; nindā — in defamation; ātma-saṃstutiḥ — and praise of himself; māna — in honor; apamānayōḥ — and dishonor; tulyaḥ — equal; tulyaḥ — equal; mitra — of friends; ari — and enemies; pakṣayōḥ — to the parties; sarva — of all; ārambha — endeavors; parityāgī — renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ — transcendental to the material modes of nature; saḥ — he; uchyatē — is said to be.
Translation
Bhagavan Sri Krishna 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.
ślōkaḥ
māṃ cha yō'vyabhichārēṇa bhaktiyōgēna sēvatē ।
sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpatē ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning
mām — unto Me; cha — also; yaḥ — a person who; avyabhichārēṇa — without fail; bhakti-yōgēna — by devotional service; sēvatē — renders service; saḥ — he; guṇān — the modes of material nature; samatītya — transcending; ētān — all these; brahma-bhūyāya — elevated to the Brahman platform; kalpatē — becomes.
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.
ślōkaḥ
brahmaṇō hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya cha ।
śāśvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning
brahmaṇaḥ — of the impersonal brahma-jyotir; hi — certainly; pratiṣṭhā — the rest; aham — I am; amṛtasya — of the immortal; avyayasya — of the imperishable; cha — also; śāśvatasya — of the eternal; cha — and; dharmasya — of the constitutional position; sukhasya — of happiness; aikāntikasya — ultimate; cha — also.
Translation
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.
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