Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE

Verse 14.01-02

Lord Krishna said:

I shall now reiterate the supreme wisdom among all wisdom by knowing which sages have been able to reach perfection.

Verse 14.03-04

I am the life giving Father. I make all births of living beings possible, whatever forms are produced in any womb whatsoever..

Verse 14.05-09

Material nature consists of three modes, viz. Satva, Rajas and Thamas, i.e. Goodness, Passion and Ignorance. When one is born he comes into contact with nature and becomes conditioned by these modes.

Goodness is purer than the others. It is illuminating. It frees one from all sinful reactions. Those in this mode are attached to knowledge and happiness.

Passion is attachment to desires, longings and craving for sense gratification. Those in passion are bound by attachment to action and fruits of work.

Ignorance binds living entity by madness, carelessness, laziness and excessive sleep.

Verse 14.10-13

Satva can prevail only by defeating Rajas and Thamas
Rajas prevails by suppressing Satva and Thamas
Thamas prevails by stifling Satva and Rajas

When Satva is predominant, light of knowledge of the Supreme glitters all the senses in the body.
When Rajas is predominant; attachment, greed, undertaking of selfish works, uncontrollable desire, craving, hankering, restlessness, and excitement arise.
When Thamas is predominant; ignorance, inactivity, negligence, dullness, madness, carelessness, and delusion arise.

Verse 14.14-18

The fruit of Satva is beneficial and pure. When one who dies during the dominance of Satva goes to heaven the pure world of knowers of the Supreme.

The fruit of Rajas is pain. When one dies during the dominance of Rajas, one is reborn as attached to selfish action.

The fruit of Thamas is laziness. When one dies in Thamas, one is reborn as lower creatures.

Verse 14.19-20

One is freed from the pains of birth, old age and death and attains immortality or salvation only when he transcends these three modes of Satva, Rajas and Thamas and perceives that in all activities no other performer is at work than the Supreme Lord.


Verse 14.21-27

Arjuna enquired:

What are the marks of those who have transcended the three modes of material Nature, and what is their conduct?

Lord Krishna said:

The marks of the transcended persons are that

They remain indifferent to pain and pleasure, happiness or distress
To them, clod, a stone, and gold are alike
To them the dear and the unfriendly are alike
They are of firm mind
They are calm in censure and in praise
They are indifferent to honor and disgrace
They are impartial to friend and foe
They renounce sense of doership

They are aware that I am the abode of Brahman
They know I am immortal and imperishable
They know I am the eternal law and absolute bliss
They stay firmly attached to the Lord without wavering in the three material modes.
They offer service to Me and to My endeavors with love and unswerving devotion, unfailing in all circumstances

Only they become fit for Salvation. They who have taken refuge in this transcendental knowledge attain unity with Me and are neither born at the time of creation, nor afflicted at the time of dissolution.