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The Gunatita (Bhagavad Gita 14.20–14.26)

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The Gunatita (Bhagavad Gita 14.20–14.26)

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 (Guṇatraya Vibhāga Yoga), verses 20 to 26 define the Guṇātīta—the one who has transcended the three modes of material nature (gunas). These verses outline the transition from the body’s conditioning, Arjuna’s three questions on the signs and conduct of such a liberated sage, Krishna’s detailed description of their state of equanimity, and the unswerving path of Bhakti Yoga that leads to this realization.

Verse 20: Transcending the Gunas to Attain Immortality

Sanskrit Verse

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।
जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते।।14.20।।

Transliteration

guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute

Word meanings

guṇān—the three modes of material nature; etān—these; atītya—transcending; trīn—three; dehī—the embodied; deha—body; samudbhavān—produced of; janma—birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; duḥkhaiḥ—misery; vimuktaḥ—freed from; amṛitam—immortality; aśhnute—attains

Swami Sivananda's translation

The 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.

Verse 21: Arjuna’s Three Questions on the Guṇātīta

Sanskrit Verse

अर्जुन उवाच
कैर्लिंगैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो।
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते।।14.21।।

Transliteration

arjuna uvācha
kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho
kim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate

Word meanings

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjuna said; kaiḥ—by what; liṅgaiḥ—symptoms; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; etān—these; atītaḥ—having transcended; bhavati—is; prabho—Lord; kim—what; āchāraḥ—conduct; katham—how; cha—and; etān—these; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; ativartate—transcends

Swami Sivananda's translation

Arjuna 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?”

Verse 22: Freedom from Like and Dislike towards the Gunas

Sanskrit Verse

श्री भगवानुवाच
प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति।।14.22।।

Transliteration

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
prakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava
na dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhati

Word meanings

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; prakāśham—illumination; cha—and; pravṛittim—activity; cha—and; moham—delusion; eva—even; cha—and; pāṇḍava—Arjuna, the son of Pandu; na dveṣhṭi—does not hate; sampravṛittāni—when present; na—nor; nivṛittāni—when absent; kāṅkṣhati—longs

Swami Sivananda's translation

The 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.”

Verse 23: Seated Unperturbed as a Neutral Witness

Sanskrit Verse

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते।
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते।।14.23।।

Transliteration

udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate
guṇā vartanta ity eva yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgate

Word meanings

udāsīna-vat—neutral; āsīnaḥ—situated; guṇaiḥ—by the modes of material nature; yaḥ—who; na—not; vichālyate—is disturbed; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature; vartante—act; iti-evam—knowing it in this way; yaḥ—who; avatiṣhṭhati—established in the self; na—not; iṅgate—wavers

Swami Sivananda's translation

He who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the qualities, and who, knowing that the qualities are active, is self-centered and does not waver.

Verse 24: Equanimity in Pleasure, Pain, Praise, and Censure

Sanskrit Verse

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।
तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः।।14.24।।

Transliteration

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ

Word meanings

sama—alike; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; sva-sthaḥ—established in the self; sama—equally; loṣhṭa—a clod; aśhma—stone; kāñchanaḥ—gold; tulya—of equal value; priya—pleasant; apriyaḥ—unpleasant; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—the same; nindā—blame; ātma-sanstutiḥ—praise

Swami Sivananda's translation

Who 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.

Verse 25: Alikeness in Honor, Dishonor, Friend, and Foe

Sanskrit Verse

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते।।14.25।।

Transliteration

mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate

Word meanings

māna—honor; apamānayoḥ—dishonor; tulyaḥ—equal; tulyaḥ—equal; mitra—friend; ari—foe; pakṣhayoḥ—to the parties; sarva—all; ārambha—enterprises; parityāgī—renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ—having risen above the three modes of material nature; saḥ—they; uchyate—are said to have transcended the gunas

Swami Sivananda's translation

Who is the same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have transcended the qualities.

Verse 26: Unwavering Devotion as the Path to Brahman

Sanskrit Verse

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते।
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते।।14.26।।

Transliteration

māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

Word meanings

mām—me; cha—only; yaḥ—who; avyabhichāreṇa—unalloyed; bhakti-yogena—through devotion; sevate—serves; saḥ—they; guṇān—the three modes of material nature; samatītya—rise above; etān—these; brahma-bhūyāya—level of Brahman; kalpate—becomes fit for

Swami Sivananda's translation

And he who serves Me with unwavering devotion, he, crossing beyond the qualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.