shlOkaH
shreebhagavaanuvaacha
paraM bhooyaH pravakshhyaami jjhNaanaanaaM jjhNaanamuttamam । ॥
yajjjhNaatvaa munayaH sarvE paraaM siddhimitO gataaH ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning
shree-bhagavaan uvaaca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; param — transcendental; bhooyaH — again; pravakshhyaami — I shall speak; jjhNaanaanaam — of all knowledge; jjhNaanam — knowledge; uttamam — the supreme; yat — which; jjhNaatvaa — knowing; munayaH — the sages; sarvE — all; paraam — transcendental; siddhim — perfection; itaH — from this world; gataaH — attained.
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.
shlOkaH
idaM jjhNaanamupaashritya mama saadharmyamaagataaH ।
sargE.api nOpajaayantE pralayE na vyathanti cha ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
idam — this; jjhNaanam — knowledge; upaashritya — taking shelter of; mama — My; saadharmyam — same nature; aagataaH — having attained; sargE api — even in the creation; na — never; upajaayantE — are born; pralayE — in the annihilation; na — nor; vyathanti — are disturbed; ca — 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.
shlOkaH
mama yOnirmahadbrahma tasmingarbhaM dadhaamyaham ।
sambhavaH sarvabhootaanaaM tatO bhavati bhaarata ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning
mama — My; yOniH — source of birth; mahat — the total material existence; brahma — supreme; tasmin — in that; garbham — pregnancy; dadhaami — create; aham — I; sambhavaH — the possibility; sarva-bhootaanaam — of all living entities; tataH — thereafter; bhavati — becomes; bhaarata — 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.
shlOkaH
sarvayOnishhu kauntEya moortayaH sambhavanti yaaH ।
taasaaM brahma mahadyOnirahaM beejapradaH pitaa ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
sarva-yOnishhu — in all species of life; kauntEya — O son of Kuntī; moortayaH — forms; sambhavanti — they appear; yaaH — which; taasaam — of all of them; brahma — the supreme; mahat yOniH — source of birth in the material substance; aham — I; beeja-pradaH — the seed-giving; pitaa — 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.
shlOkaH
sattvaM rajastama iti guNaaH prakRRitisambhavaaH ।
nibadhnanti mahaabaahO dEhE dEhinamavyayam ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaH — the mode of passion; tamaH — the mode of ignorance; iti — thus; guNaaH — the qualities; prakRRiti — material nature; sambhavaaH — produced of; nibadhnanti — do condition; mahaa-baahO — O mighty-armed one; dEhE — in this body; dEhinam — 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.
shlOkaH
tatra sattvaM nirmalatvaatprakaashakamanaamayam ।
sukhasangEna badhnaati jjhNaanasangEna chaanagha ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
tatra — there; sattvam — the mode of goodness; nirmalatvaat — being purest in the material world; prakaashakam — illuminating; anaamayam — without any sinful reaction; sukha — with happiness; sangEna — by association; badhnaati — conditions; jjhNaana — with knowledge; sangEna — by association; ca — 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.
shlOkaH
rajO raagaatmakaM viddhi tRRishhNaasangasamudbhavam ।
tannibadhnaati kauntEya karmasangEna dEhinam ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
rajaH — the mode of passion; raaga-aatmakam — born of desire or lust; viddhi — know; tRRishhNaa — with hankering; sanga — association; samudbhavam — produced of; tat — that; nibadhnaati — binds; kauntEya — O son of Kuntī; karma-sangEna — by association with fruitive activity; dEhinam — 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.
shlOkaH
tamastvajjhNaanajaM viddhi mOhanaM sarvadEhinaam ।
pramaadaalasyanidraabhistannibadhnaati bhaarata ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
tamaH — the mode of ignorance; tu — but; ajjhNaana-jam — produced of ignorance; viddhi — know; mOhanam — the delusion; sarva-dEhinaam — of all embodied beings; pramaada — with madness; aalasya — indolence; nidraabhiH — and sleep; tat — that; nibadhnaati — binds; bhaarata — 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.
shlOkaH
sattvaM sukhE sanjayati rajaH karmaNi bhaarata ।
jjhNaanamaavRRitya tu tamaH pramaadE sanjayatyuta ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning
sattvam — the mode of goodness; sukhE — in happiness; sanjayati — binds; rajaH — the mode of passion; karmaNi — in fruitive activity; bhaarata — O son of Bharata; jjhNaanam — knowledge; aavRRitya — covering; tu — but; tamaH — the mode of ignorance; pramaadE — in madness; sanjayati — 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.
shlOkaH
rajastamashchaabhibhooya sattvaM bhavati bhaarata ।
rajaH sattvaM tamashchaiva tamaH sattvaM rajastathaa ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning
rajaH — the mode of passion; tamaH — the mode of ignorance; ca — also; abhibhooya — surpassing; sattvam — the mode of goodness; bhavati — becomes prominent; bhaarata — O son of Bharata; rajaH — the mode of passion; sattvam — the mode of goodness; tamaH — the mode of ignorance; ca — also; Eva — like that; tamaH — the mode of ignorance; sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaH — the mode of passion; tathaa — 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.
shlOkaH
sarvadvaarEshhu dEhE.asminprakaasha upajaayatE ।
jjhNaanaM yadaa tadaa vidyaadvivRRiddhaM sattvamityuta ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning
sarva-dvaarEshhu — in all the gates; dEhE asmin — in this body; prakaashaH — the quality of illumination; upajaayatE — develops; jjhNaanam — knowledge; yadaa — when; tadaa — at that time; vidyaat — know; vivRRiddham — 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.
shlOkaH
lObhaH pravRRittiraarambhaH karmaNaamashamaH spRRihaa ।
rajasyEtaani jaayantE vivRRiddhE bharatarshhabha ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
lObhaH — greed; pravRRittiH — activity; aarambhaH — endeavor; karmaNaam — in activities; ashamaH — uncontrollable; spRRihaa — desire; rajasi — of the mode of passion; Etaani — all these; jaayantE — develop; vivRRiddhE — when there is an excess; bharata-RRishhabha — 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.
shlOkaH
aprakaashO.apravRRittishcha pramaadO mOha Eva cha ।
tamasyEtaani jaayantE vivRRiddhE kurunandana ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
aprakaashaH — darkness; apravRRittiH — inactivity; ca — and; pramaadaH — madness; mOhaH — illusion; Eva — certainly; ca — also; tamasi — the mode of ignorance; Etaani — these; jaayantE — are manifested; vivRRiddhE — 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.
shlOkaH
yadaa sattvE pravRRiddhE tu pralayaM yaati dEhabhRRit ।
tadOttamavidaaM lOkaanamalaanpratipadyatE ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
yadaa — when; sattvE — the mode of goodness; pravRRiddhE — developed; tu — but; pralayam — dissolution; yaati — goes; dEha-bhRRit — the embodied; tadaa — at that time; uttama-vidaam — of the great sages; lOkaan — the planets; amalaan — pure; pratipadyatE — attains.
Translation
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.
shlOkaH
rajasi pralayaM gatvaa karmasangishhu jaayatE ।
tathaa praleenastamasi mooDhayOnishhu jaayatE ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
rajasi — in passion; pralayam — dissolution; gatvaa — attaining; karma-sangishhu — in the association of those engaged in fruitive activities; jaayatE — takes birth; tathaa — similarly; praleenaH — being dissolved; tamasi — in ignorance; mooDha-yOnishhu — in animal species; jaayatE — 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.
shlOkaH
karmaNaH sukRRitasyaahuH saattvikaM nirmalaM phalam ।
rajasastu phalaM duHkhamajjhNaanaM tamasaH phalam ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
karmaNaH — of work; su-kRRitasya — pious; aahuH — is said; saattvikam — in the mode of goodness; nirmalam — purified; phalam — the result; rajasaH — of the mode of passion; tu — but; phalam — the result; duHkham — misery; ajjhNaanam — nonsense; tamasaH — 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.
shlOkaH
sattvaatsanjaayatE jjhNaanaM rajasO lObha Eva cha ।
pramaadamOhau tamasO bhavatO.ajjhNaanamEva cha ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
sattvaat — from the mode of goodness; sanjaayatE — develops; jjhNaanam — knowledge; rajasaH — from the mode of passion; lObhaH — greed; Eva — certainly; ca — also; pramaada — madness; mOhau — and illusion; tamasaH — from the mode of ignorance; bhavataH — develop; ajjhNaanam — nonsense; Eva — certainly; ca — 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.
shlOkaH
oordhvaM gachChanti sattvasthaa madhyE tishhThanti raajasaaH ।
jaghanyaguNavRRittisthaa adhO gachChanti taamasaaH ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
oordhvam — upwards; gacchanti — go; sattva-sthaaH — those situated in the mode of goodness; madhyE — in the middle; tishhThanti — dwell; raajasaaH — those situated in the mode of passion; jaghanya — of abominable; guNa — quality; vRRitti-sthaaH — whose occupation; adhaH — down; gacchanti — go; taamasaaH — 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.
shlOkaH
naanyaM guNEbhyaH kartaaraM yadaa drashhTaanupashyati ।
guNEbhyashcha paraM vEtti madbhaaavaM sO.adhigachChati ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
na — no; anyam — other; guNEbhyaH — than the qualities; kartaaram — performer; yadaa — when; drashhTaa — a seer; anupashyati — sees properly; guNEbhyaH — to the modes of nature; ca — and; param — transcendental; vEtti — knows; mat-bhaavam — to My spiritual nature; saH — he; adhigacchati — 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.
shlOkaH
guNaanEtaanateetya treendEhee dEhasamudbhavaan ।
janmamRRityujaraaduHkhairvimuktO.amRRitamashnautE ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
guNaan — qualities; Etaan — all these; ateetya — transcending; treen — three; dEhee — the embodied; dEha — the body; samudbhavaan — produced of; janma — of birth; mRRityu — death; jaraa — and old age; duHkhaiH — the distresses; vimuktaH — being freed from; amRRitam — nectar; ashnutE — 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.
shlOkaH
arjuna uvaacha
kairlingaistreenguNaanEtaanateetO bhavati prabhO ।
kimaachaaraH kathaM chaitaaMstreenguNaanativartatE ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning
arjunaH uvaaca — Arjuna said; kaiH — by which; lingaiH — symptoms; treen — three; guNaan — qualities; Etaan — all these; ateetaH — having transcended; bhavati — is; prabhO — O my Lord; kim — what; aacaaraH — behavior; katham — how; ca — also; Etaan — these; treen — three; guNaan — qualities; ativartatE — 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?
shlOkaH
shreebhagavaanuvaacha
prakaashaM cha pravRRittiM cha mOhamEva cha paaNDava ।
na dvEshhTi sampravRRittaani na nivRRittaani kaankshhati ॥ 22 ॥
udaaseenavadaaseenO guNairyO na vichaalyatE ।
guNaa vartanta ityEvaM yO.avatishhThati nEngatE ॥ 23 ॥
samaduHkhasukhaH svasthaH samalOshhTaashmakaanchanaH ।
tulyapriyaapriyO dheerastulyanindaatmasaMstutiH ॥ 24 ॥
maanaapamaanayOstulyastulyO mitraaripakshhayOH ।
sarvaarambhaparityaagee guNaateetaH sa uchyatE ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning
shree-bhagavaan uvaaca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakaasham — illumination; ca — and; pravRRittim — attachment; ca — and; mOham — illusion; Eva ca — also; paaNDava — O son of Pāṇḍu; na dvEshhTi — does not hate; sampravRRittaani — although developed; na nivRRittaani — nor stopping development; kaankshhati — desires; udaaseena-vat — as if neutral; aaseenaH — situated; guNaiH — by the qualities; yaH — one who; na — never; vicaalyatE — is agitated; guNaaH — the qualities; vartantE — are acting; iti Evam — knowing thus; yaH — one who; avatishhThati — remains; na — never; ingatE — flickers; sama — equal; duHkha — in distress; sukhaH — and happiness; sva-sthaH — being situated in himself; sama — equally; lOshhTa — a lump of earth; ashma — stone; kaancanaH — gold; tulya — equally disposed; priya — to the dear; apriyaH — and the undesirable; dheeraH — steady; tulya — equal; nindaa — in defamation; aatma-saṁstutiH — and praise of himself; maana — in honor; apamaanayOH — and dishonor; tulyaH — equal; tulyaH — equal; mitra — of friends; ari — and enemies; pakshhayOH — to the parties; sarva — of all; aarambha — endeavors; parityaagee — renouncer; guNa-ateetaH — transcendental to the material modes of nature; saH — he; ucyatE — is said to be.
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.
shlOkaH
maaM cha yO.avyabhichaarENa bhaktiyOgEna sEvatE ।
sa guNaansamateetyaitaanbrahmabhooyaaya kalpatE ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning
maam — unto Me; ca — also; yaH — a person who; avyabhicaarENa — without fail; bhakti-yOgEna — by devotional service; sEvatE — renders service; saH — he; guNaan — the modes of material nature; samateetya — transcending; Etaan — all these; brahma-bhooyaaya — elevated to the Brahman platform; kalpatE — 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.
shlOkaH
brahmaNO hi pratishhThaahamamRRitasyaavyayasya cha ।
shaashvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikaantikasya cha ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning
brahmaNaH — of the impersonal brahma-jyotir; hi — certainly; pratishhThaa — the rest; aham — I am; amRRitasya — of the immortal; avyayasya — of the imperishable; ca — also; shaashvatasya — of the eternal; ca — and; dharmasya — of the constitutional position; sukhasya — of happiness; aikaantikasya — ultimate; ca — 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.
Browse Related Categories:
