Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas

श्रीभगवानुवाच — परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः॥१॥

The Blessed Lord said — I shall again declare the supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the highest perfection.

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः। सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च॥२॥

Having taken refuge in this knowledge and attained My nature, they are not born again at the time of creation, nor are they disturbed at the time of dissolution.

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम्। सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत॥३॥

The great Prakriti is My womb; in that I place the seed. From that, O Bharata, is the birth of all beings.

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः। तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता॥४॥

O son of Kunti, whatever forms are produced in all the wombs, the great Prakriti is their womb and I am the seed-giving father.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः। निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥५॥

Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas — these three qualities born of Prakriti bind the imperishable soul in the body, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्। सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ॥६॥

Among these, Sattva, being pure, is illuminating and free from affliction, O sinless one. It binds through attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्। तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्॥७॥

Know Rajas to be of the nature of passion, arising from craving and attachment. It binds the embodied soul, O son of Kunti, through attachment to action.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्। प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत॥८॥

But know Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings. It binds through negligence, laziness, and sleep, O Bharata.

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत। ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत॥९॥

Sattva attaches one to happiness, Rajas to action, O Bharata, while Tamas, veiling knowledge, attaches one to negligence.

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत। रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा॥१०॥

Sattva prevails by overpowering Rajas and Tamas, O Bharata. Rajas prevails by overpowering Sattva and Tamas, and Tamas by overpowering Sattva and Rajas.

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते। ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत॥११॥

When the light of knowledge shines through all the gates (senses) of the body, then one should know that Sattva has increased.

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा। रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ॥१२॥

Greed, activity, the undertaking of new actions, restlessness, and longing — these arise when Rajas has increased, O best of the Bharatas.

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च। तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन॥१३॥

Darkness, inactivity, negligence, and delusion — these arise when Tamas has increased, O joy of the Kurus.

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्। तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते॥१४॥

If the embodied being meets death when Sattva is predominant, then it attains the pure worlds of those who know the highest.

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते। तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते॥१५॥

Dying in Rajas, one is born among those attached to action. Dying in Tamas, one is born in the wombs of the deluded.

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्। रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्॥१६॥

The fruit of good action performed in Sattva is said to be pure and holy. The fruit of Rajas is sorrow, and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance.

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च। प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च॥१७॥

From Sattva arises knowledge; from Rajas, greed; and from Tamas arise negligence, delusion, and ignorance.

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः। जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥१८॥

Those established in Sattva go upward; the Rajasic remain in the middle; and the Tamasic, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, go downward.

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति। गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति॥१९॥

When the seer perceives no doer other than the Gunas and knows that which is higher than the Gunas, he attains My nature.

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्। जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते॥२०॥

The embodied soul, having transcended these three Gunas that arise from the body, is freed from birth, death, old age, and sorrow, and attains immortality.

अर्जुन उवाच — कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो। किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते॥२१॥

Arjuna said — By what signs is one who has transcended these three Gunas known, O Lord? What is his conduct? And how does he go beyond these three Gunas?

श्रीभगवानुवाच — प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव। न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति॥२२॥

The Blessed Lord said — He who does not hate illumination, activity, or delusion when they arise, O Pandava, nor longs for them when they cease,

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते। गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते॥२३॥

He who sits like one unconcerned, undisturbed by the Gunas, who remains firm knowing that the Gunas alone are operating — he does not waver.

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः। तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः॥२४॥

He who is equal in pain and pleasure, self-abiding, to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are equal, who is the same toward the pleasant and unpleasant, wise, and equal in blame and praise of himself,

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः। सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते॥२५॥

He who is equal in honor and dishonor, equal toward friend and foe, who has renounced all self-motivated undertakings — he is said to have transcended the Gunas.

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते। स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥२६॥

And he who serves Me with unwavering devotion through Bhakti Yoga, having completely transcended these Gunas, becomes fit for becoming one with Brahman.

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च। शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च॥२७॥

For I am the foundation of Brahman — the immortal and imperishable, of the eternal dharma, and of absolute bliss.