Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bg14.17
TEXT 17
sattvat sanjayate jnanam
rajaso lobha eva ca
pramada-mohau tamaso
bhavato ’jnanam eva ca
sattvat—from the mode of goodness; sanjayate—develops; jnanam—knowledge; rajasah—from the mode of passion; lobhah—greed; eva—certainly; ca—also; pramada—madness; mohau—illusion; tamasah—from the mode of ignorance; bhavatah—develops; ajnanam—nonsense; eva—certainly; ca—also.
TRANSLATION
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, grief develops; and from the mode of ignorance, foolishness, madness and illusion develop.
PURPORT
Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entities, Krsna consciousness is recommended. Through Krsna consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. In the mode of ignorance, people are just like animals and cannot see things clearly. In the mode of ignorance, for example, they do not see that by killing one animal they are taking a chance of being killed by the same animal in the next life. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there. When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will be happy and prosperous. Even if the majority of the people aren’t happy and prosperous, if a certain percentage of the population develops Krsna consciousness and becomes situated in the mode of goodness, then there is the possibility for peace and prosperity all over the world. Otherwise, if the world is devoted to the modes of passion and ignorance, there can be no peace or prosperity. In the mode of passion, people become greedy, and their hankering for sense enjoyment has no limit. One can see that even if one has enough money and adequate arrangement for sense gratification, there is neither happiness nor peace of mind. That is not possible because one is situated in the mode of passion. If one wants happiness at all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of goodness by practicing Krsna consciousness. One engaged in the mode of passion is not only mentally unhappy, but his profession and occupation are also very troublesome. He has to devise so many plans and schemes to acquire enough money to maintain his status quo. This is all miserable. In the mode of ignorance, people become mad. Being distressed by their circumstances, they take shelter of intoxication, and thus they sink further into ignorance. Their future in life is very dark. Bg14.18 TEXT 18 urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah urdhvam—upwards; gacchanti—goes; sattva-sthah—one who is situated in the mode of goodness; madhye—in the middle; tisthanti—dwell; rajasah—those who are situated in the mode of passion; jaghanya—abominable; guna—quality; vrtti-sthah—occupation; adhah—down; gacchanti—go; tamasah—persons in the mode of ignorance. TRANSLATION Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds. PURPORT In this verse the results of actions in the three modes of nature are more explicitly set forth. There is an upper planetary system, consisting of the heavenly planets, where everyone is highly elevated. According to the degree of development of the mode of goodness, the living entity can be transferred to various planets in this system. The highest planet is Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka, where the prime person of this universe, Lord Brahma, resides. We have seen already that we can hardly calculate the wondrous condition of life in Brahmaloka, but the highest condition of life, the mode of goodness, can bring us to this. The mode of passion is mixed. It is in the middle, between the modes of goodness and ignorance. A person is not always pure, but even if he should be purely in the mode of passion, he will simply remain on this earth as a king or a rich man. But because there are mixtures, one can also go down. People on this earth, in the modes of passion or ignorance, cannot forcibly approach the higher planets by machine. In the mode of passion, there is also the chance of becoming mad in the next life. The lowest quality, the mode of ignorance, is described here as abominable. The result of developing ignorance is very, very risky. It is the lowest quality in material nature. Beneath the human level there are eight million species of life: birds, beasts, reptiles, trees, etc., and, according to the development of the mode of ignorance, people are brought down to these abominable conditions. The word tamasah is very significant here. Tamasah indicates those who stay continually in the mode of ignorance without rising to a higher mode. Their future is very dark. There is opportunity for men in the modes of ignorance and passion to be elevated to the mode of goodness, and that system is called Krsna consciousness. But one who does not take advantage of this opportunity certainly will continue in the lower modes. Bg14.19 TEXT 19 nanyam gunebhyah kartaram yada drastanupasyati gunebhyas ca param vetti mad-bhavam so ’dhigacchati na—never; anyam—other than; gunebhyah—from the qualities; kartaram—the performer; yada—when; drasta anupasyati—he who sees properly; gunebhyah ca—from the modes of nature; param—transcendental; vetti—know; mat-bhavam—My spiritual nature; sah—he; adhigacchati—is promoted. TRANSLATION When you see that there is nothing beyond these modes of nature in all activities and that the Supreme Lord is transcendental to all these modes, then you can know My spiritual nature. PURPORT One can transcend all the activities of the modes of material nature simply by understanding them properly by learning from the proper souls. The real spiritual master is Krsna, and He is imparting this spiritual knowledge to Arjuna. Similarly, it is from those who are fully in Krsna consciousness that one has to learn this science of activities in terms of the modes of nature. Otherwise, one’s life will be misdirected. By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, a living entity can know of his spiritual position, his material body, his senses, how he is entrapped, and how he is under the spell of the material modes of nature. He is helpless, being in the grip of these modes, but when he can see his real position, then he can attain to the transcendental platform, having the scope for spiritual life. Actually, the living entity is not the performer of different activities. He is forced to act because he is situated in a particular type of body, conducted by some particular mode of material nature. Unless one has the help of spiritual authority, he cannot understand in what position he is actually situated. With the association of a bona fide spiritual master, he can see his real position, and, by such an understanding, he can become fixed in full Krsna consciousness. A man in Krsna consciousness is not controlled by the spell of the material modes of nature. It has already been stated in the Seventh Chapter that one who has surrendered to Krsna is relieved from the activities of material nature. Therefore for one who is able to see things as they are, the influence of material nature gradually ceases. Bg14.20 TEXT 20 gunan etan atitya trin dehi deha-samudbhavan janma-mrtyu-jara-duhkhair vimukto ’mrtam asnute gunan—qualities; etan—all these; atitya—transcending; trin—three; dehi—body; deha—body; samudbhavan—produced of; janma—birth; mrtyu—death; jara—old age; duhkhaih—distresses; vimuktah—being freed from; amrtam—nectar; asnute—enjoys. TRANSLATION When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life. PURPORT How one can stay in the transcendental position, even in this body, in full Krsna consciousness, is explained in this verse. The Sanskrit word dehi means embodied. Although one is within this material body, by his advancement in spiritual knowledge he can be free from the influence of the modes of nature. He can enjoy the happiness of spiritual life even in this body because, after leaving this body, he is certainly going to the spiritual sky. But even in this body he can enjoy spiritual happiness. In other words, devotional service in Krsna consciousness is the sign of liberation from this material entanglement, and this will be explained in the Eighteenth Chapter. When one is freed from the influence of the modes of material nature, he enters into devotional service. Bg14.21 TEXT 21 arjuna uvaca kair lingais trin gunan etan atito bhavati prabho kim acarah katham caitams trin gunan ativartate arjunah uvaca—Arjuna said; kaih—by which; lingaih—symptoms; trin—three; gunan—qualities; etan—all this; atitah—transcend; bhavati—become; prabho—my Lord; kim—what; acarah—behavior; katham—what; ca—also; etan—these; trin—three; gunan—qualities; ativartate—transcend. TRANSLATION Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by what symptoms is one known who is transcendental to those modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature? PURPORT In this verse, Arjuna’s questions are very appropriate. He wants to know the symptoms of a person who has already transcended the material modes. He first inquires of the symptoms of such a transcendental person. How can one understand that he has already transcended the influence of the modes of material nature? The second question asks how he lives and what his activities are. Are they regulated or nonregulated? Then Arjuna inquires of the means by which he can attain the transcendental nature. That is very important. Unless one knows the direct means by which one can be situated always transcendentally, there is no possibility of showing the symptoms. So all these questions put by Arjuna are very important, and the Lord answers them. Bg14.22-25 TEXTS 22–25 sri-bhagavan uvaca prakasam ca pravrttim ca moham eva ca pandava na dvesti sampravrttani na nivrttani kanksati udasina-vad asino gunair yo na vicalyate guna vartanta ity evam yo ’vatisthati nengate sama-duhkha-sukhah sva-sthah sama-lostasma-kancanah tulya-priyapriyo dhiras tulya-nindatma-samstutih manapamanayos tulyas tulyo mitrari-paksayoh sarvarambha-parityagi gunatitah sa ucyate sri bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakasam ca—and illumination; pravrttim ca—and attachment; moham—illusion; eva ca—also; pandava—O son of Pandu; na dvesti—does not hate; sampravrttani—although developed; na nivrttani—nor stop development; kanksati—desires; udasinavat—as if neutral; asinah—situated; gunaih—by the qualities; yah—one who; na—never; vicalyate—is agitated; gunah—the qualities; vartante—is situated; iti evam—knowing thus; yah—one who; avatisthati—remains; na—never; ingate—flickering; sama—equally; duhkha—in distress; sukhah—in happiness; svasthah—being situated himself; sama—equally; losta—a lump of earth; asma—stone; kancanah—gold; tulya—equally disposed; priya—dear; apriyah—undesirable; dhirah—steadily; tulya—equally; ninda—in defamation; atma-samstutih—in praise of himself; mana—honor; apamanayoh—dishonor; tulyah—equally; tulyah—equally; mitra—friend; ari—enemy; paksayoh—in party; sarva—all; arambhah—endeavor; parityagi—renouncer; guna-atitah—transcendental to the material modes of nature; sah—he; ucyate—is said to be. TRANSLATION The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they disappear; who is seated like one unconcerned, being situated beyond these material reactions of the modes of nature, who remains firm, knowing that the modes alone are active; who regards alike pleasure and pain, and looks on a clod, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is wise and holds praise and blame to be the same; who is unchanged in honor and dishonor, who treats friend and foe alike, who has abandoned all fruitive undertakings—such a man is said to have transcended the modes of nature. PURPORT Arjuna submitted the three different questions, and the Lord answers them one after another. In these verses, Krsna first indicates that a person transcendentally situated neither envies anyone nor hankers for anything. When a living entity stays in this material world embodied by the material body, it is to be understood that he is under the control of one of the three modes of material nature. When he is actually out of the body, then he is out of the clutches of the material modes of nature. But as long as he is not out of the material body, he should be neutral. He should engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord so that his identity with the material body will automatically be forgotten. When one is conscious of the material body, he acts only for sense gratification, but when one transfers the consciousness to Krsna, sense gratification automatically stops. One does not need this material body, and he does not need to accept the dictations of the material body. The qualities of the material modes in the body will act, but as spirit soul the self is aloof from such activities. How does he become aloof? He does not desire to enjoy the body, nor does he desire to get out of it. Thus transcendentally situated, the devotee becomes automatically free. He need not try to become free from the influence of the modes of material nature. The next question concerns the dealings of a transcendentally situated person. The materially situated person is affected by so-called honor and dishonor offered to the body, but the transcendentally situated person is not affected by such false honor and dishonor. He performs his duty in Krsna consciousness and does not mind whether a man honors or dishonors him. He accepts things that are favorable for his duty in Krsna consciousness, otherwise he has no necessity of anything material, either a stone or gold. He takes everyone as his dear friend who helps him in his execution of Krsna consciousness, and he does not hate his so-called enemy. He is equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level because he knows perfectly well that he has nothing to do with material existence. Social and political issues do not affect him because he knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances. He does not attempt anything for his own sake. He can attempt anything for Krsna, but for his personal self he does not attain anything. By such behavior one becomes actually transcendentally situated. Bg14.26 TEXT 26 mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate mam—unto Me; ca—also; yah—person; avyabhicarena—without fail; bhakti-yogena—by devotional service; sevate—renders service; sah—he; gunan—all the modes of material nature; samatitya—transcending; etan—all this; brahma-bhuyaya—to be elevated on the Brahman platform; kalpate—is considered. TRANSLATION One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman. PURPORT This verse is a reply to Arjuna’s third question: What is the means of attaining to the transcendental position? As explained before, the material world is acting under the spell of the modes of material nature. One should not be disturbed by the activities of the modes of nature; instead of putting his consciousness into such activities, he may transfer his consciousness to Krsna activities. Krsna activities are known as bhakti-yoga—always acting for Krsna. This includes not only Krsna, but His different plenary expansions such as Rama and Narayana. He has innumerable expansions. One who is engaged in the service of any of the forms of Krsna, or of His plenary expansions, is considered to be transcendentally situated. One should also note that all the forms of Krsna are fully transcendental, blissful, full of knowledge and eternal. Such personalities of Godhead are omnipotent and omniscient, and they possess all transcendental qualities. So, if one engages himself in the service of Krsna or His plenary expansions with unfailing determination, although these modes of material nature are very difficult to overcome, he can overcome them easily. This is already explained in the Seventh Chapter. One who surrenders unto Krsna at once surmounts the influence of the modes of material nature. To be in Krsna consciousness or in devotional service means to acquire the equality of Krsna. The Lord says that His nature is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme, as gold particles are part of a gold mine. Thus the living entity’s spiritual position is as good as gold, as good as Krsna in quality. The difference of individuality continues, otherwise there is no question of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means that the Lord is there, the devotee is there and the activity of exchange of love between the Lord and the devotee is there. Therefore the individuality of two persons is present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual person, otherwise there is no meaning to bhakti-yoga. If one is not situated in the same transcendental position with the Lord, one cannot serve the Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one must acquire the qualifications. Thus the qualification is to become Brahman, or freed from all material contamination. It is said in the Vedic literature: brahmaiva san brahmapyeti. One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman. This means that one must qualitatively become one with Brahman. By attainment of Brahman, one does not lose his eternal Brahman identity as individual soul. Bg14.27 TEXT 27 brahmano hi pratisthaham amrtasyavyayasya ca sasvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikantikasya ca brahmanah—of the impersonal brahmajyoti; hi—certainly; pratistha—the rest; aham—I am; amrtasya—of the imperishable; avyayasya—immortal; ca—also; sasvatasya—of eternal; ca—and; dharmasya—of the constitutional position; sukhasya—happiness; aikantikasya—ultimate; ca—also. TRANSLATION And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness, and which is immortal, imperishable and eternal. PURPORT The constitution of Brahman is immortality, imperishability, eternity, and happiness. Brahman is the beginning of transcendental realization. Paramatma, the Supersoul, is the middle, the second stage in transcendental realization, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, both Paramatma and the impersonal Brahman are within the Supreme Person. It is explained in the Seventh Chapter that material nature is the manifestation of the inferior energy of the Supreme Lord. The Lord impregnates the inferior material nature with the fragments of the superior nature, and that is the spiritual touch in the material nature. When a living entity conditioned by this material nature begins the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, he elevates himself from the position of material existence and gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of the Supreme. This attainment of the Brahman conception of life is the first stage in self-realization. At this stage the Brahman realized person is transcendental to the material position, but he is not actually perfect in Brahman realization. If he wants, he can continue to stay in the Brahman position and then gradually rise up to Paramatma realization and then to the realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many examples of this in Vedic literature. The four Kumaras were situated first in the impersonal Brahman conception of truth, but then they gradually rose to the platform of devotional service. One who cannot elevate himself beyond the impersonal conception of Brahman runs the risk of falling down. In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that although a person may rise to the stage of impersonal Brahman, without going farther, with no information of the Supreme Person, his intelligence is not perfectly clear. Therefore, in spite of being raised to the Brahman platform, there is the chance of falling down if one is not engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. In the Vedic language it is also said: raso vai sah; rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati. “When one understands the Personality of God, the reservoir of pleasure, Krsna, he actually becomes transcendentally blissful.” The Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, and when a devotee approaches Him, there is an exchange of these six opulences. The servant of the king enjoys on an almost equal level with the king. And so, eternal happiness, imperishable happiness, eternal life accompany devotional service. Therefore, realization of Brahman, or eternity, or imperishability is included in devotional service. This is already possessed by a person who is engaged in devotional service. The living entity, although Brahman by nature, has the desire to lord it over the material world, and due to this he falls down. In his constitutional position, a living entity is above the three modes of material nature, but association with material nature entangles him in the different modes of material nature, goodness, passion and ignorance. Due to the association of these three modes, his desire to dominate the material world is there. By engagement in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness, he is immediately situated in the transcendental position, and his unlawful desire to control material nature is removed. Therefore the process of devotional service beginning with hearing, chanting, remembering—the prescribed nine methods for realizing devotional service—should be practiced in the association of devotees. Gradually, by such association, by the influence of the spiritual master, one’s material desire to dominate is removed, and one becomes firmly situated in the Lord’s transcendental loving service. This method is prescribed from the twenty-second to the last verse of this chapter. Devotional service to the Lord is very simple: one should always engage in the service of the Lord, should eat the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Deity, smell the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, see the places where the Lord had His transcendental pastimes, read of the different activities of the Lord, His reciprocation of love with His devotees, chant always the transcendental vibration Hare Krsnna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and observe the fasting days commemorating the appearances and disappearances of the Lord and His devotees. By following such a process one becomes completely detached from all material activities. One who can thus situate himself in the brahmajyoti is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in quality. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourteenth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita in the matter of the Three Modes of Material Nature.