Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14

Understanding the Three Modes of Nature

Chapter 14 of the Bhagavad Gita explores the three modes of material nature—goodness, passion, and ignorance—that influence human behavior. Lord Krishna explains how these modes shape individual tendencies and actions. Understanding these qualities allows one to transcend their influence and cultivate a higher consciousness, ultimately leading to spiritual progress and self-realization.

श्रीभगवानुवाच

 परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।

 यज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः॥१॥

sri bhagavaan uvaacha

param bhooyah pravakshyaami jnaanaanaam jnaanamuttamam

yajjnaatwaa munayah sarve paraam siddhimito gataah

Śrī Bhagavān said : I shall expound once more the supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, acquiring which all sages have attained highest perfection, being liberated from this mundane existence.(1)

 इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः।

 सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ॥ २॥

idam jnaanam upaashritya mama saadharmyamaagataah

sargepi nopajaayante pralaye na vyathanti cha

Those who, by practising this knowledge, have entered into My being, are not born again at the cosmic dawn, nor feel disturbed even during the cosmic dissolution (Pralaya).(2)

 मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भ दधाम्यहम्।

 सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत॥ ३॥

mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmin garbham dadhaamyaham

sambhavah sarvabhootaanaam tato bhavati bhaarata

My primordial Nature, known as the great Brahma, is the womb of all creatures; in that womb I place the seed of all life. The creation of all beings follows from that union of Matter and Spirit, O Arjuna(3)

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः।

 तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥ ४॥

sarvayonishu kaunteya moortayah sambhavanti yaah

taasaam brahma mahadyoniraham beejapradah pitaa

Of all embodied beings that appear in all the species of various kinds, Arjuna, Prakrti or Nature is the conceiving Mother, while I am the seedgiving Father.(4)

 सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः।

 निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥५॥

Sattvam rajastama iti Gunaah prakritisambhavaah

nibadhnanti mahaabaaho dehe dehinamavyayam

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas—these three Guņas born of Nature tie down the imperishable soul to the body, Arjuna. (5)

 तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।

 सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ॥ ६॥

tatra Sattvam nirmalatwaat prakaashakam anaamayam

sukhasangena badhnaati jnaanasangena chaanagha

Of these Sattva, being immaculate, is illuminating and flawless, Arjuna; it binds through attachment to happiness and knowledge.(6)

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।

 तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥ ७॥

rajo raagaatmakam viddhi trishnaasangasamudbhavam

tannibadhnaati kaunteya karmasangena dehinam

Arjuna, know the quality of Rajas, which is of the nature of passion, as born of desire and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to actions and their fruit. (7)

 तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।

 प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥८॥

tamastwajnaanajam viddhi mohanam sarvadehinaam

pramaadaalasyanidraabhis tannibadhnaati bhaarata

And know Tamas, the deluder of all those who look upon the body as their own self, as born of ignorance. It binds the soul through error, sloth and sleep, Arjuna.(8)

 सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।

 ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत॥ ९ ॥

Sattvam sukhe sanjayati rajah karmani bhaarata

jnaanamaavritya tu tamah pramaade sanjayatyuta

Sattva draws one to joy and Rajas to action; while Tamas, clouding wisdom, impels one to error, sleep and sloth Arjuna.

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत।

 रजसत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥१०॥

rajastamashchaabhibhooya Sattvam bhavati bhaarata

rajah Sattvam tamaishchaiva tamah Sattvam rajastathaa

Overpowering Rajas and Tamas, Arjuna, Sattva prevails; overpowering Sattva and Tamas, Rajas prevails; even so, overpowering Sattva and Rajas, Tamas prevails (10)

 सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।

 ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥ ११॥

sarvadwaareshu dehesmin prakaasha upajaayate

jnaanam yadaa tadaa vidyaadvivriddham Sattvamityuta

When light and discernment dawn in this body, as well as in the mind and senses, then one should know that Sattva is predominant. (11)

 लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।

 रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ॥१२॥

lobhah pravrittir aarambhah karmanaamashamah sprihaa

rajasyetaani jayante vivriddhe bharatarshabha

With the preponderance of Rajas, Arjuna, greed, activity, undertaking of action with an interested motive, restlessness and a thirst for enjoyment make their appearance.(12)

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।

 तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥ १३ ॥

Aprakaasho’pravrittishcha pramaado moha eva cha

tamasyetaani jaayante vivriddhe kurunandana

With the growth of Tamas. Arjuna, obtuseness of the mind and senses, disinclination to perform one’s obligatory duties, frivolity and stupor—all these appear.

 यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।

 तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ॥१४॥

yadaa sattwe pravriddhe tu pralayam yaati dehabrit

tadottamavidaam lokaan amalaan pratipadyate

When a man dies during the preponderance of Sattva, he obtains the stainless ethereal worlds (heaven etc.,) attained by men of noble deeds.(14)

 रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।

 तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥ १५॥

rajasi pralayam gatwaa karmasangishu jaayate

tathaa praleenastamasi moodha yonishu jaayate

Dying when Rajas predominates, he is born among those attached to action; even so, the man who has expired during the preponderance of Tamas is reborn in the species of the deluded creatures such as insects and beasts etc.(15)

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्।

 रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥ १६॥

karmanah sukritasyaahuh saattwikam nirmalam phalam

rajasastu phalam duhkham ajnaanam tamasah phalam

The reward of a righteous act, they say, is Sāttvika i.e., faultless in the shape of joy, wisdom and dispassion etc., sorrow is declared to be the fruit of a Rājasika act and ignorance, the fruit of a Tāmasika act.(16)

 सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च।

 प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ॥ १७॥

Sattvaat sanjaayate jnaanam rajaso lobha eva cha

pramaadamohau tamaso bhavato’jnaanameva cha

Wisdom follows from Sattva, and greed, undoubtedly, from Rajas; likewise obstinate error, stupor and also ignorance follow from Tamas. (17)

 ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।

 जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥१८॥

oordhwam gacchanti Sattvasthaa madhye tishthanti raajasaah

jaghanyaGunavrittisthaa adho gacchanti taamasaah

Those who abide in the quality of Sattva wend their way upwards; while those of a Rājasika disposition stay in the middle. And those of a Tāmasika temperament, enveloped as they are in the effects of Tamoguna, sink down. (18)