The document summarizes chapters 14 of the Bhagavad Gita. It discusses the three constituents or gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) that bind the soul to the body. Sattva binds through pleasure and knowledge, rajas through passion and work, and tamas through ignorance, laziness and delusion. One who transcends the three gunas and sees Krishna as the supreme witness achieves liberation from rebirth and attains immortality. The qualities of a person established in transcendence are also described.

1. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
T. K. G. NAMBOODHIRI
THIRUVALLA, KERALA
INDIA

2. BHAGAVAD GITA – THE DIVINE
SONG-An Introduction
 Bhagavad Gita-Part of the
Sanskrit Epic
Mahabhaaratha.(200 BC to 200
AD)
 700 verses in 18 chapters.
 A conversation between Lord
Krishna and his close friend
Arjuna in the middle of the
battlefield just before the start
of the Kurukshetra battle.
 Arjuna loses his heart and
refuses to fight his teachers
and relatives, and Krishna
revives him by his wise words
of wisdom.
TKG Namboodhiri

3. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
CHAPTER 14
GUNATHRAYA VIBHAAGA YOGAM
THE YOGA OF THE THREE CONSTITUENTS
TKG Namboodhiri

4. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
MAMA YONIRMMAHAD BRAHMA THASMIN
GARBHAM DADHAAMYAHAM, SAMBHAVA SARVA
BHOOTHAANAAM THATHO BHAVATHI BHAARATHA.
(14.3)
My womb is MahatBrahma-the vast nature. In
this I cast the seed of all beings. I bring about
the union of the Field & Field-knower.
Thence, Arjuna, are born all beings.
TKG Namboodhiri

5. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SARVAYONISHU KAUNTHE’YA MOORTHAYAH
SAMBHAVANTHI YAH, THAASAAM BRAHMA MAHAD
YONIRAHAM BEEJAPRADAH PITHAA. (14.4)
Arjuna, whatever forms spring up from all
kinds of wombs, their womb is this great
Brahman (nature), & I am the father, the
supplier of the seed.
TKG Namboodhiri

6. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SATHWAM RAJASTHAMA ITHI GUNAH PRAKRITHI
SAMBHAVAAH, NIBDHANANTHI MAHAABAAHO DEHE’
DEHINAM AVYAM.(14.5).
Arjuna, Sathwa, Rajas, & Thamas, are the
three nature-born constituents which
bind the embodied & immutable Spirit
(Soul)
TKG Namboodhiri

7. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
THATHRA SATHWAM NIRMALATHWAATH
PRAKAASAKAMANAAMAYAM, SUKHA SANGE’NA
BADHNAATHI JNAANASANGENA CHAANAGHA. (14.6)
Arjuna, among them Sathwa being
stainless, illumines & heals. It binds the
Soul with the attachment to pleasure &
knowledge
TKG Namboodhiri

8. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
RAJO RAAGAATHMAKAM VIDHI THRISHNAA SANGA
SAMUDBHAVAM, THANNIBADHNAATHI KAUNTHE’YA
KARMA SANGE’NA DEHINAM. (14.7).
Arjuna, know that Rajas is essentially
attachment; it is the source of craving &
passion. It binds the embodied Soul with
attachment to work.
TKG Namboodhiri

9. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
THAMASTHWAJNAANAJAM VIDHI MOHANAM SARVA
DEHINAAM, PRAMAADAALASYA NIDRABHIS
THANNIBADHNAATHI BHAARATHA. (14.8).
Know Thamas to spring from ignorance; it
deludes all embodied beings. It binds the
Soul with error, indolence, and sleepiness.
TKG Namboodhiri

10. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SATHWAM SUKHE’ SANJAYATHI RAJAH KARMANI
BHAARATHA, JNAANAMAAVRITHYA THU THAMAH
PRAMAADE’ SANJAYATHYUTHA. (14.9)
Sathwam causes clinging to
pleasure, Rajas to work, while
Thamas, shrouding knowledge, causes
clinging to error.
TKG Namboodhiri

11. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SARVADWAARE’SHU DE’HO ASMIN PRAKAASA
UPAJAAYATHE’, JNAANAM YADAA THADAA
VIDYAADWIVRIDDHAM SATHWAMITHYUTHA. (14.11)
When the light of knowledge(coming
from the intellect) shines at all the
openings of the senses in this body, one
may know that Sathwa is in dominance.
TKG Namboodhiri

12. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
LOBHAH PRAVRITHIRAARAMBHAH
KARMANAAMASMAH SPRIHAA, RAJASYE’THAANI
JAAYANTHE’ VIVRIDDHE’ BHARATHARSHABHA. (14.12)
Greed, activity, commencements of
work, disquiet, & desire are the qualities
exhibited when Rajas predominates.
TKG Namboodhiri

13. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
APRAKAASO APRAVRITHASCHA PRAMAADO MOHA
E’VA CHA, THAMASYE’THAANI JAAYANTHE’
VIVRIDDHA KURUNANDANA. (14.13)
Gloom, inaction, error & delusion too
come into being when Thamas increases.
TKG Namboodhiri

14. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
NAANYAM GUNEBHYAH KARTHAARAM YADAA
DRISHTAANUPASYATHI, GUNEBHYASCHA PARAM
VETHI MADBHAAVAM SO ADHIGACHCHATHI. (14.19)
When an enlightened person sees that the three
constituents are the only agents of all activities, &
also realizes My status to be beyond the
constituents, & only as a witness to actions, he
reaches My status.
TKG Namboodhiri

15. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
GUNAANETHAANATHEETHYA THREEN DE’HEE
DE’HASAMUDBHAVAAN, JANMA MRITHYU JARAA
DUKHYRVIMUKTHO AMRUTHAMASNUTHE’. (14.20)
Transcending these three
constituents, while alive, the embodied
self (Soul) is liberated from
birth, death, old age, & pain, & attains
immortality.
TKG Namboodhiri

16. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
PRAKAASAM CHA PRAVRITHIM CHA MOHAME’VA CHA
PAANDAVA, NA DWE’SHTI SAMPRAVRITHAANI NA
NIVRITHAANI KAANGKSATHI. (14.22)
In reply to a question by Arjuna, the Lord
describes the characteristics of a person who is
beyond the three constituents: Arjuna, That
sage neither hates light, action, & delusion (the
3 gunaas) when these spring up, nor seeks
them when these disappear.
TKG Namboodhiri

17. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
UDAASEENAVADAASEENO GUNAIRYO NA
VICHAALYATHE’, GUNAA VARTHANTHA ETHYE’VA YO
AVATHISHTATHI NE’NGTHE’. (14.23)
Seated as if indifferent, he is not disturbed by the
constituents; he stirs not but remains steadfast,
holding the view that constituents alone prevail as
body, senses & objects, & he abides as pure self.
TKG Namboodhiri

18. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SAMADUKHASUKHAH SWASTHAH
SAMALOSHTAASMAKANNCHANAH, THULYAPRIYAAPRI
YO DHEERASTHULYANINDAATHMASAMSMRITHIH.
(14.24)
Pain & pleasure are one to him who abides in
his Self. He treats alike, clod, stone, & gold. To
the wise, pleasant & unpleasant, also, praise &
censure are all alike.
TKG Namboodhiri

19. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
MAANAAPAMAANAYO STHULYASTHULYO MITHRAARI
PAKSHAYOH, SARVAARAMBHA PARITHYAAGEE
GUNAATHEETHA SA UCHYTHE’. (14.25)
He treats honour & disgrace equally; is equal
towards friends & foes. He does not initiate any
action. Such a person is styled the transcendent
sage.(Who is beyond Gunas)
TKG Namboodhiri

20. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
MAAM CHA YO AVYABHICHAARE’NA BHAKTHI
YOGE’NA SE’VATHE’, SA GUNAAN
SAMATHEETHYTHAAN BRAHMA BHOOYAAYA
KALPATHE’. (14.26)
He who, with the unwavering Yoga of
devotion, serves Me., transcends these
constituents & becomes fit for the status of
Brahman.
TKG Namboodhiri