ਗੁਣਤ੍ਰਯਵਿਭਾਗਯੋਗ
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 in Punjabi (Gurmukhi)
Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog · Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature · 27 verses
🌐 Read in your language
Chapter Summary
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.
🔊 Tap ▶ to recite a shloka — it reads the original Sanskrit aloud
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਭਗਵਾਨੁਵਾਚਪਰਂ ਭੂਯਃ ਪ੍ਰਵਕ੍ष੍ਯਾਮਿ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਾਨਾਂ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮੁਤ੍ਤਮਮ੍।ਯਜ੍ਜ੍ਞਾਤ੍ਵਾ ਮੁਨਯਃ ਸਰ੍ਵੇ ਪਰਾਂ ਸਿਦ੍ਧਿਮਿਤੋ ਗਤਾਃ॥
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣhyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ
MeaningThe 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 supreme perfection after this life."
ਇਦਂ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮੁਪਾਸ਼੍ਰਿਤ੍ਯ ਮਮ ਸਾਧਰ੍ਮ੍ਯਮਾਗਤਾਃ।ਸਰ੍ਗੇऽਪਿ ਨੋਪਜਾਯਨ੍ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਲਯੇ ਨ ਵ੍ਯਥਨ੍ਤਿ ਚ॥
idaṁ jñānam upāśhritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ sarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha
MeaningThose who, having taken refuge in this knowledge, have attained unity with Me, are neither born at the time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution.
ਮਮ ਯੋਨਿਰ੍ਮਹਦ੍ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤਸ੍ਮਿਨ੍ ਗਰ੍ਭਂ ਦਧਾਮ੍ਯਹਮ੍।ਸਂਭਵਃ ਸਰ੍ਵਭੂਤਾਨਾਂ ਤਤੋ ਭਵਤਿ ਭਾਰਤ॥
mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata
MeaningMy womb is the great Brahma; in it I place the germ; thence, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings.
ਸਰ੍ਵਯੋਨਿषੁ ਕੌਨ੍ਤੇਯ ਮੂਰ੍ਤਯਃ ਸਮ੍ਭਵਨ੍ਤਿ ਯਾਃ।ਤਾਸਾਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਮਹਦ੍ਯੋਨਿਰਹਂ ਬੀਜਪ੍ਰਦਃ ਪਿਤਾ॥
sarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
MeaningWhatever forms are produced, O Arjuna, in any womb whatsoever, the great Brahma is their womb, and I am the seed-giving father.
ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਰਜਸ੍ਤਮ ਇਤਿ ਗੁਣਾਃ ਪ੍ਰਕृਤਿਸਂਭਵਾਃ।ਨਿਬਧ੍ਨਨ੍ਤਿ ਮਹਾਬਾਹੋ ਦੇਹੇ ਦੇਹਿਨਮਵ੍ਯਯਮ੍॥
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥ nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam
MeaningThese qualities, O Arjuna, born of Nature, bind fast in the body of the embodied, the indestructible: purity, passion, and inertia.
ਤਤ੍ਰ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਨਿਰ੍ਮਲਤ੍ਵਾਤ੍ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕਮਨਾਮਯਮ੍।ਸੁਖਸਙ੍ਗੇਨ ਬਧ੍ਨਾਤਿ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਸਙ੍ਗੇਨ ਚਾਨਘ॥
tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayam sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha
MeaningOf these, sattva, which is luminous and healthy due to its stainlessness, binds one by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless one.
ਰਜੋ ਰਾਗਾਤ੍ਮਕਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਤृष੍ਣਾਸਙ੍ਗਸਮੁਦ੍ਭਵਮ੍।ਤਨ੍ਨਿਬਧ੍ਨਾਤਿ ਕੌਨ੍ਤੇਯ ਕਰ੍ਮਸਙ੍ਗੇਨ ਦੇਹਿਨਮ੍॥
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam
MeaningKnow, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action.
ਤਮਸ੍ਤ੍ਵਜ੍ਞਾਨਜਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਮੋਹਨਂ ਸਰ੍ਵਦੇਹਿਨਾਮ੍।ਪ੍ਰਮਾਦਾਲਸ੍ਯਨਿਦ੍ਰਾਭਿਸ੍ਤਨ੍ਨਿਬਧ੍ਨਾਤਿ ਭਾਰਤ॥
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
MeaningBut know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.
ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਸੁਖੇ ਸਞ੍ਜਯਤਿ ਰਜਃ ਕਰ੍ਮਣਿ ਭਾਰਤ।ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮਾਵृਤ੍ਯ ਤੁ ਤਮਃ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਦੇ ਸਞ੍ਜਯਤ੍ਯੁਤ॥
sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta
MeaningSattva attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, verily shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness.
ਰਜਸ੍ਤਮਸ਼੍ਚਾਭਿਭੂਯ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਭਵਤਿ ਭਾਰਤ।ਰਜਃ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਤਮਸ਼੍ਚੈਵ ਤਮਃ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਰਜਸ੍ਤਥਾ॥
rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
MeaningNow, O Arjuna, Sattva prevails, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; then Rajas, having overpowered Sattva and Tamas; and then Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas.
ਸਰ੍ਵਦ੍ਵਾਰੇषੁ ਦੇਹੇऽਸ੍ਮਿਨ੍ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਉਪਜਾਯਤੇ।ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਯਦਾ ਤਦਾ ਵਿਦ੍ਯਾਦ੍ਵਿਵृਦ੍ਧਂ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਮਿਤ੍ਯੁਤ॥
sarva-dvāreṣhu dehe ’smin prakāśha upajāyate jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛiddhaṁ sattvam ity uta
MeaningWhen the wisdom-light shines through every gate of this body, then it may be known that Sattva is predominant.
ਲੋਭਃ ਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਿਰਾਰਮ੍ਭਃ ਕਰ੍ਮਣਾਮਸ਼ਮਃ ਸ੍ਪृਹਾ।ਰਜਸ੍ਯੇਤਾਨਿ ਜਾਯਨ੍ਤੇ ਵਿਵृਦ੍ਧੇ ਭਰਤਰ੍षਭ॥
lobhaḥ pravṛittir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśhamaḥ spṛihā rajasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe bharatarṣhabha
MeaningGreed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, and longing—these arise when Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna.
ਅਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ੋऽਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਿਸ਼੍ਚ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਦੋ ਮੋਹ ਏਵ ਚ।ਤਮਸ੍ਯੇਤਾਨਿ ਜਾਯਨ੍ਤੇ ਵਿਵृਦ੍ਧੇ ਕੁਰੁਨਨ੍ਦਨ॥
aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana
MeaningDarkness, inertia, carelessness, and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.
ਯਦਾ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵੇ ਪ੍ਰਵृਦ੍ਧੇ ਤੁ ਪ੍ਰਲਯਂ ਯਾਤਿ ਦੇਹਭृਤ੍।ਤਦੋਤ੍ਤਮਵਿਦਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਨਮਲਾਨ੍ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਦ੍ਯਤੇ॥
yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate
MeaningIf the embodied one meets death when Sattva is predominant, then they attain the spotless worlds of the knowers of the Highest.
ਰਜਸਿ ਪ੍ਰਲਯਂ ਗਤ੍ਵਾ ਕਰ੍ਮਸਙ੍ਗਿषੁ ਜਾਯਤੇ।ਤਥਾ ਪ੍ਰਲੀਨਸ੍ਤਮਸਿ ਮੂਢਯੋਨਿषੁ ਜਾਯਤੇ॥
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate
MeaningMeeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the thoughtless.
ਕਰ੍ਮਣਃ ਸੁਕृਤਸ੍ਯਾਹੁਃ ਸਾਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਿਕਂ ਨਿਰ੍ਮਲਂ ਫਲਮ੍।ਰਜਸਸ੍ਤੁ ਫਲਂ ਦੁਃਖਮਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਤਮਸਃ ਫਲਮ੍॥
karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam
MeaningThey say that the fruit of good action is Sattvic and pure; indeed, the fruit of Rajas is pain, and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance.
ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਾਤ੍ਸਞ੍ਜਾਯਤੇ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਰਜਸੋ ਲੋਭ ਏਵ ਚ।ਪ੍ਰਮਾਦਮੋਹੌ ਤਮਸੋ ਭਵਤੋऽਜ੍ਞਾਨਮੇਵ ਚ॥
sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva cha pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha
MeaningFrom Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.
ਊਰ੍ਧ੍ਵਂ ਗਚ੍ਛਨ੍ਤਿ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਸ੍ਥਾ ਮਧ੍ਯੇ ਤਿष੍ਠਨ੍ਤਿ ਰਾਜਸਾਃ।ਜਘਨ੍ਯਗੁਣਵृਤ੍ਤਿਸ੍ਥਾ ਅਧੋ ਗਚ੍ਛਨ੍ਤਿ ਤਾਮਸਾਃ॥
ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ
MeaningThose seated in Sattva ascend; those of Rajasic nature dwell in the middle; and those of Tamasic nature, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, descend.
ਨਾਨ੍ਯਂ ਗੁਣੇਭ੍ਯਃ ਕਰ੍ਤਾਰਂ ਯਦਾ ਦ੍ਰष੍ਟਾਨੁਪਸ਼੍ਯਤਿ।ਗੁਣੇਭ੍ਯਸ਼੍ਚ ਪਰਂ ਵੇਤ੍ਤਿ ਮਦ੍ਭਾਵਂ ਸੋऽਧਿਗਚ੍ਛਤਿ॥
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati
MeaningWhen the seer beholds no agent other than the Gunas and knows that which is higher than them, he attains to My Being.
ਗੁਣਾਨੇਤਾਨਤੀਤ੍ਯ ਤ੍ਰੀਨ੍ਦੇਹੀ ਦੇਹਸਮੁਦ੍ਭਵਾਨ੍।ਜਨ੍ਮਮृਤ੍ਯੁਜਰਾਦੁਃਖੈਰ੍ਵਿਮੁਕ੍ਤੋऽਮृਤਮਸ਼੍ਨੁਤੇ॥
guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute
MeaningThe embodied one, having crossed beyond these three Gunas from which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay, and pain, and attains immortality.
ਅਰ੍ਜੁਨ ਉਵਾਚਕੈਰ੍ਲਿਂਗੈਸ੍ਤ੍ਰੀਨ੍ਗੁਣਾਨੇਤਾਨਤੀਤੋ ਭਵਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੋ।ਕਿਮਾਚਾਰਃ ਕਥਂ ਚੈਤਾਂਸ੍ਤ੍ਰੀਨ੍ਗੁਣਾਨਤਿਵਰ੍ਤਤੇ॥
arjuna uvācha kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate
MeaningArjuna said, "What are the marks of one who has transcended the three qualities, O Lord? What is their conduct, and how do they go beyond these three qualities?"
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਭਗਵਾਨੁਵਾਚਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਂ ਚ ਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਿਂ ਚ ਮੋਹਮੇਵ ਚ ਪਾਣ੍ਡਵ।ਨ ਦ੍ਵੇष੍ਟਿ ਸਮ੍ਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਾਨਿ ਨ ਨਿਵृਤ੍ਤਾਨਿ ਕਾਙ੍ਕ੍षਤਿ॥
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha prakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava na dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhati
MeaningThe Blessed Lord said, "When light, activity, and delusion are present, he does not hate them, nor does he long for them when they are absent.
ਉਦਾਸੀਨਵਦਾਸੀਨੋ ਗੁਣੈਰ੍ਯੋ ਨ ਵਿਚਾਲ੍ਯਤੇ।ਗੁਣਾ ਵਰ੍ਤਨ੍ਤ ਇਤ੍ਯੇਵ ਯੋऽਵਤਿष੍ਠਤਿ ਨੇਙ੍ਗਤੇ॥
udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgate
MeaningHe who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the dualities, and who, knowing that the dualities are active, is self-centered and does not move.
ਸਮਦੁਃਖਸੁਖਃ ਸ੍ਵਸ੍ਥਃ ਸਮਲੋष੍ਟਾਸ਼੍ਮਕਾਞ੍ਚਨਃ।ਤੁਲ੍ਯਪ੍ਰਿਯਾਪ੍ਰਿਯੋ ਧੀਰਸ੍ਤੁਲ੍ਯਨਿਨ੍ਦਾਤ੍ਮਸਂਸ੍ਤੁਤਿਃ॥
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ
MeaningWho is the same in pleasure and pain, who dwells in the Self, to whom a clod of earth, a stone, and gold are all alike, who is the same to the dear and the unfriendly, who is firm, and to whom censure and praise are one and the same.
ਮਾਨਾਪਮਾਨਯੋਸ੍ਤੁਲ੍ਯਸ੍ਤੁਲ੍ਯੋ ਮਿਤ੍ਰਾਰਿਪਕ੍षਯੋਃ।ਸਰ੍ਵਾਰਮ੍ਭਪਰਿਤ੍ਯਾਗੀ ਗੁਣਾਤੀਤਃ ਸ ਉਚ੍ਯਤੇ॥
mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate
MeaningWho is the same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have transcended the dualities.
ਮਾਂ ਚ ਯੋऽਵ੍ਯਭਿਚਾਰੇਣ ਭਕ੍ਿਤਯੋਗੇਨ ਸੇਵਤੇ।ਸ ਗੁਣਾਨ੍ਸਮਤੀਤ੍ਯੈਤਾਨ੍ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਭੂਯਾਯ ਕਲ੍ਪਤੇ॥
māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
MeaningAnd he who serves Me with unwavering devotion, he, crossing beyond the dualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.
ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਣੋ ਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਤਿष੍ਠਾऽਹਮਮृਤਸ੍ਯਾਵ੍ਯਯਸ੍ਯ ਚ।ਸ਼ਾਸ਼੍ਵਤਸ੍ਯ ਚ ਧਰ੍ਮਸ੍ਯ ਸੁਖਸ੍ਯੈਕਾਨ੍ਤਿਕਸ੍ਯ ਚ॥
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha
MeaningFor I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal, immutable, and everlasting Dharma, and absolute bliss.