Chapter 14

Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga

The fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna reveals the three gunas (modes) of the material nature - goodness, passion and ignorance which everything in the material existence is influenced by. He further explains the essential characteristics of each of these modes, their cause and how they influence a living entity affected by them. He then reveals the various characteristics of the persons who have gone beyond these gunas. The chapter ends with Krishna reminding us of the power of pure devotion to God and how attachment to God can help us transcend these gunas.

Famous Shloks

Shloks in this chapter

27 shloks

Verse 01

Verse 14.1

श्री भगवानुवाचपरं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः।।14.1।।

The Lord said, "I shall declare again another kind of knowledge: It is the best of all forms of knowledge, by knowing which all the sages have attained the state of perfection beyond this world."

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Verse 02

Verse 14.2

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः।सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च।।14.2।।

Resorting to this knowledge, partaking in My Nature, they are not born at the time of creation nor do they suffer at the time of dissolution.

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Verse 03

Verse 14.3

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन् गर्भं दधाम्यहम्।संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत।।14.3।।

My womb is the great Brahman (i.e. Prakṛti). In it, I lay the germ. From that, O Arjuna, comes the birth of all beings.

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Verse 04

Verse 14.4

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः।तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता।।14.4।।

Whatever forms are produced in any womb, O Arjuna, the Prakṛti is their great womb, and I am the sowing father.

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Verse 05

Verse 14.5

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः।निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्।।14.5।।

The Gunas of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas arise from Prakrti and bind the immutable Self in the body, O Arjuna.

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Verse 06

Verse 14.6

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ।।14.6।।

Of these, sattva, being without impurity, is luminous and free from morbidity. It binds, O Arjuna, through attachment to pleasure and knowledge.

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