CHAPTER 14
THE YOGA OF THE DIVISON OF THE THREE GUNAS
Verse 1
Sri
Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Param
bhooyah pravakshyaami
jnaanaanaam
jnaanamuttamam;
Yajjnaatwaa
munayah sarve
paraam
siddhimito gataah.
The Blessed Lord said:
I will again declare (to thee) that supreme
knowledge, the best of all knowledge, having known which all the sages have
gone to the supreme perfection after this life.
Verse
2
Idam
jnaanam upaashritya
mama
saadharmyam aagataah;
Sarge’pi
nopajaayante
pralaye na
vyathanti cha.
They who, having taken refuge in this knowledge,
attain to unity with Me, are neither born at the time of creation nor are they
disturbed at the time of dissolution.
Verse 3
Mama
yonirmahadbrahma
tasmin
garbham dadhaamyaham;
Sambhavah
sarvabhootaanaam
tato
bhavati bhaarata.
My womb is the great Brahma; in that I place the
germ; thence, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings!
Verse 4
Sarvayonishu
kaunteya
moortayah
sambhavanti yaah;
Taasaam
brahma mahadyonir
aham
beejapradah pitaa.
Whatever forms are produced, O Arjuna, in any
womb whatsoever, the great Brahma is their womb and I am the seed-giving
father.
Verse 5
Sattwam
rajastama iti
gunaah
prakriti sambhavaah;
Nibadhnanti
mahaabaaho
dehe
dehinam avyayam.
Purity, passion and inertia—these qualities, O
mighty-armed Arjuna, born of Nature, bind fast in the body, the embodied, the
indestructible!
Verse 6
Tatra
sattwam nirmalatwaat
prakaashakam
anaamayam;
Sukhasangena
badhnaati
jnaanasangena
chaanagha.
Of these, Sattwa, which from its stainlessness
is luminous and healthy, binds by attachment to knowledge and to happiness, O
sinless one!
Verse 7
Rajo
raagaatmakam viddhi
Trishna
asangasa mudbhavam;
Tannibadhnaati
kaunteya
karmasangena
dehinam.
Know thou Rajas to be of the nature of passion,
the source of thirst (for sensual enjoyment) and attachment; it binds fast, O
Arjuna, the embodied one by attachment to action!
Verse 8
Tamastwajnaanajam
viddhi
mohanam
sarvadehinaam;
Pramaadaalasyanidraabhis
tannibadhnaati
bhaarata.
But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance,
deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, by heedlessness, sleep
and indolence!
Verse 9
Sattwam
sukhe sanjayati
rajah
karmani bhaarata;
Jnaanamaavritya
tu tamah
pramaade
sanjayatyuta.
Sattwa attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O
Arjuna, while Tamas, shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness only!
Verse 10
Rajastamashchaabhibhooya
sattwam
bhavati bhaarata;
Rajah
sattwam tamashchaiva
tamah
sattwam rajastathaa.
Now Sattwa prevails, O Arjuna, having
overpowered Rajas and Tamas; now Rajas, having overpowered Sattwa and Tamas;
and now Tamas, having overpowered Sattwa and Rajas!
Verse 11
Sarvadwaareshu
dehe’smin
prakaasha
upajaayate;
Jnaanam
yadaa tadaa vidyaa
dvivriddham
sattwamityuta.
When, through every gate (sense) in this body,
the wisdom-light shines, then it may be known that Sattwa is predominant.
Verse 12
Lobhah
pravrittir aarambhah
karmanaam
ashamah sprihaa;
Rajasyetaani
jaayante
vivriddhe
bharatarshabha.
Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions,
restlessness, longing—these arise when Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna!
Verse 13
Aprakaasho’pravrittishcha
pramaado
moha eva cha;
Tamasyetaani
jaayante
vivriddhe
kurunandana.
Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and
delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna!
To be continued…
