36 verses
The Supreme Lord said: O best among men, please listen as I describe to you how the living entity attains a particular nature by association with individual guṇas in their unmixed forms.
Control of the mind, sense control, tolerance, discrimination, austerity, truthfulness, mercy, careful study of the past and future, satisfaction in any condition, renunciation, detachment, faith, being embarrassed at improper action, charity, simplicity, humbleness and satisfaction within oneself are qualities of the mode of goodness.
The qualities of sattva are described. Īkṣā means discrimination. Aspṛhā means detachment. The second use of daya in verse 2 means charity. Ādi refers to simplicity and modesty. Sva-nivṛtiḥ means happiness from the self.
Material desire, great endeavor, audacity, dissatisfaction even in gain, false pride, praying for material advancement, considering oneself different and better than others, sense gratification, eagerness to fight, a fondness for hearing oneself praised, the tendency to ridicule others, advertising ones own prowess and justifying ones actions by ones strength are qualities of the mode of passion.
The qualities of rajas are described. Īhā means endeavor. Stambhaḥ means pride. Āśīḥ means praying to devatās for wealth and other material benefits. Bhidā means thinking oneself different from others. Sukham means material enjoyment. Madosāhaḥ means eagerness to fight because of pride. Yaśah-prītiḥ means fond of being praised. Hāsyam means deriding others. Vīryam means showing power. Balodyamaḥ means endeavoring by using physical strength. A person in sattva endeavors using logical judgment.
Anger, greed, lying, violence, living as a parasite, false show of dharma, chronic fatigue, quarrel, lamentation, delusion, unhappiness, depression, sleeping too much, false expectations, fear and laziness constitute the major qualities of the mode of ignorance
The qualities of tamas are described. Dambhaḥ means pretending to practice dharma. Āśā means expecting that others will give things.
The qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas have been generally described. Now please hear about the mixture of these three modes.
Varṇita-prāyāḥ means there are other qualities as well and these will be described. Or, though other qualities are not clearly mentioned, they are also included.
O Uddhava! Mixture of the gunas is present in the mentality of I and mine. The ordinary transactions of this world, which are carried out through the agency of the mind, the objects of perception, the senses and the vital airs of the physical body, are also based on mixture of the guṇas.
The conception of I and mine is a mixture of the guṇas. Action using the mind, sense objects, senses and life airs is also a mixture of the guṇas. When control of the mind, lust or anger becomes strong, then the person becomes control of the mind personified, or lust personified or anger personified. Ordinary activities of ordinary men, based on I and mine, are not accomplished by the jīva alone, since the jīva is never free of I and mine spontaneously, and has no trace of discrimination to think of what is proper or improper when blinded by lust or anger, with the conception of I am so and so and this is my son. Thus actions are accomplished using the mind, senses, sense objects and life airs in conjunction with sattva, rajas and tamas.
When a person devotes himself to religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, the faith, wealth and sensual enjoyment obtained by his endeavors display a mixture of the guṇas.
When a person becomes fixed in dharma, artha or kāma, there is a mixture of sattva, rajas and tamas. A person fixed in dharma develops faith in dharma, and finally attains dharma. A person fixed in kāma attains enjoyment. A person fixed in artha attains wealth.
When a man desires sense gratification, because of being attached to family life, and when he consequently becomes established in religious and occupational duties, a mixture of the guṇas appears since that dharma is mixed with sattva, rajas and tamas.
Contact with the guṇas is again explained. When a person is fixed in kāmya-dharma and becomes fixed in household life, and is constantly performing daily and periodic duties, a mixture of the guṇas takes place because (hi) that dharma is mixed with rajas, tamas and sattva.
A person exhibiting qualities such as self-control is understood to be predominantly in the mode of goodness. Similarly, a passionate person is recognized by his lust, and one in ignorance is recognized by qualities such as anger.
Having shown that the guṇas appear unmixed and mixed, the Lord now shows how guṇas are labeled by predominance of a guṇa, since names are given by predominance of a certain quality. This is explained in three verses.
Any person, whether man or woman, who worships me with devotion by offering his or her prescribed duties to me without material attachment, is understood to be situated in goodness.
Two verses explain how bhakti by persons in the guṇas becomes covered by the guṇas.
When a person worships me by his prescribed duties with the hope of gaining material benefit, his nature should be understood to be in passion, and one who worships with the desire to commit violence against others is in ignorance.
Hiṁsām means killing enemies etc.
The three modes of material naturegoodness, passion and ignoranceinfluence the living entity but not me. Manifesting within the minds of all beings, they induce the living entity to become attached to material bodies and to become bound up.
Since you take up the guṇas without discrimination in your actions of creation, maintenance and destruction, why should you be served by the jīva? The guṇas bind the jīva and not me. Why? The guṇa appear in the mind, which is a covering in all beings (bhūtānām). The genitive case has a locative meaning in the word bhūtānām. The jīva, attached to the body and related things, becomes bound. However I am not attached. Though I carry out creation and destruction by regulating the guṇas, I am eternally free of them. This is the big difference between us.
When the mode of goodness, which is revealing, pure and peaceful, predominates over passion and ignorance, a man becomes endowed with knowledge, virtue, happiness and other good qualities.
The guṇas in the jīva predominate over each other and the jīva then attains corresponding qualities. This is explained in three verses. When sattva, which is revealing or enlightening in nature (bhāsvaram), pure and peaceful (śivam) conquers rajas and tamas (itarau), a person becomes endowed with knowledge (revelation), dharma (purity) and happiness (peace). Ādibhiḥ means other qualities like control of the senses and mind.
When the mode of passion, which causes attachment, separatism and activity, conquers ignorance and goodness, a man desires fame and fortune, suffers, and becomes active.
When rajas, which is a cause of attachment, distinctions, and action, conquers tamas and sattva, a person becomes endowed with desires for fame and wealth (from attachment), suffering (from making distinctions), and action (from the active nature of rajas).
When tamas, with qualities of lack of discrimination, obscuration and lack of endeavor, conquers rajas and sattva, a person becomes endowed with lamentation, illusion, violence, sleep and empty aspirations.
When tamas, which has no discrimination, which obscures (layam) and is devoid of endeavor, conquers rajas and sattva, a person becomes endowed with lamentation, illusion and violence (from lack of discrimination), with sleep (from its obscuring nature) and vain hopes (from lack of endeavor). From later explanations it should be understood that these respective times also become endowed with these qualities. When all three guṇas are conquered by bhakti, one becomes endowed with the bliss of prema. This statement should also be placed here following the pattern of later statements in the chapter.
When consciousness becomes clear, when the senses are detached from matter, when one experiences fearlessness within the material body and when one has detachment from the material mind, you should understand this situation to be the predominance of sattva, in which state one performs actions to attain me.
Thus when a particular guṇa increase, the other two are suppressed. By what conditions does a certain guṇa increase? This is explained in three verses. When consciousness becomes pure, the senses are without agitation, and one is unattached to the mind, then sattva increases. In that state one performs activities to attain me.
You should discern the mode of passion by its symptomsthe agitation of the intelligence because of objects nearby, material thirst in the intelligence and senses, an unhealthy condition of the action senses, and a confused mind.
When even ones intelligence is agitated by the approach of various objects (kriyayā vikurvan) and intelligence and the senses are filled with thirst for objects, know that rajas has increased.
When ones consciousness becomes bewildered and fails to function, when one is not aware of objects, when the mind fails to decide, and when ignorance and despair are prominent, understand that tamas has become predominant.
When consciousness becomes bewildered and insensitive (vilīyeta), because of inability to perceive objectsunawareness because of low consciousness, when the mind fails to make decisions, and there is ignorance and despair, understand that tamas has become dominant. When all three guṇas are defeated by bhakti, understand that one is beyond the guṇas. This should be understood.
With the increase of the mode of goodness, the strength of the devatās similarly increases. When passion increases, the demoniac become strong. And with the rise of ignorance, O Uddhava, the strength of the Rākṣasas increases.
Just as the devatās, demons and Rakṣasas increase with increase of sattva, rajas or tamas, so when the natures of detachment, attachment and bewilderment in the senses of the individual bodies increase the presence of devatās, demons and Rakṣasas should be understood. When one transcends the guṇas by bhakti, the strength of the devotees increases.
It should be understood that wakefulness comes from the mode of goodness, sleep with dreaming from the mode of passion, and deep, dreamless sleep from the mode of ignorance. The fourth state of consciousness extends over the other three.
What states of being do the guṇas produce? That is answered in this verse. The state beyond the guṇas is described. The fourth state extends over the other three states in the form of one ātmā. .
Brahminical persons are elevated by the mode of goodness to higher and higher positions. The mode of ignorance, on the other hand, forces one is born as plant life. And by the mode of passion one continues transmigrating through human bodies.
Another reading instead of upari upari is ābrahmaṇo janā: they go up to Brahmaloka by sattva. They go down to plant life (āmukhyāt) by tamas. They become humans (antara-cāriṇaḥ) by rajas. By nirguṇa-bhakti they go to Vaikuṇṭha.
Those who leave this world in sattva go to the heavenly planets, those who pass away in rajas remain in the world of human beings, and those dying in tamas must go to hell. But those who are free from the influence of all modes of nature come to me, even while living.
The results attained by the guṇas present at the time of leaving the body are described. Whatever guṇa is strong at that time, that guṇa becomes particularly visible in the destination. Thus when people die with strong sattva, they go to Svarga. When rajas is strong at the time of death (rajo-layāḥ) they are born as humans. When they die with strong tamas, they go to hell. The word laya or dying is not used for those beyond the guṇas. Even while living, without dying, those who are beyond the guṇas because of bhakti to me attain me.
Prescribed duties performed as an offering to me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in sattva. Prescribed actions performed with a desire to enjoy the results but offered to me is in rajas. And work impelled by violence and envy is in tamas.
He who performs prescribed duties which are offered to me is in sattva. Nārada has said:
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ
na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam |
kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare
na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam ||
Even the stage of jñāna without the bondage of karma is not glorious because it is devoid of bhakti to the Supreme Lord. What is the use of having destroyed ignorance? What to speak of sakāma-karma which is suffering during practice and perfection, and niṣkāma-karma, when not offered to the Lord? SB 1.5.12
Thus, any karma prescribed in dharma-śāstra, if not offered to the Lord, is useless. That statement should be considered in the present verse. The daily duties should be offered to me. Even kāmya-karmas, without desire for material results, should be offered to me. These actions are in sattva. Kāmya-karmas, with a desire for results, but offered to me, are in rajas. Activities mentioned in irreligious scriptures with an aim to commit violence are in tamas. The word ādi indicates acts done with pride or envy. Pure worship with hearing and chanting is beyond the guṇas.
Knowledge concerning the jīva apart from the body is in sattva. Knowledge with various options of doubt is in rajas. Knowledge of material life is in tamas. Knowledge concerning me, however, is understood to be beyond the guṇas.
Now four types of knowledge and other items with guṇas and without guṇas are described in sequence. Knowledge concerning the jīva apart from the body is in sattva. Knowledge with doubt is in rajas. This may be real or unreal. The jīva may be eternal or subject to birth. Knowledge of material life such as eating or playing is in tamas. Knowledge concerning me is beyond the guṇas.
Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I reside is beyond the guṇas.
The residence of the Lord is beyond the guṇas because it is his place of appearance. This is the comment of Śrīdhara Svāmī. The Lords abode is beyond the guṇas because it is glorious in relation to the Lord. That is Jīva Gosvāmīs explanation.
A performer of action free of attachment is in sattva, a performer of action overcome by sense objects is in rajas, and a performer of action who is devoid of inquiry is in tamas. But a performer of action who has taken shelter of me alone is beyond the guṇas.
A doer who is unattached is in sattva. A doer who is blind with attachment, overcome by sense objects, is in rajas. A doer devoid of inquiry is in tamas. The devotee surrendered only to me is beyond the guṇas.
Faith in ātmā is in sattva, faith in prescribed karma is in rajas, faith in irreligious activities is in tamas, but faith in my devotional service is beyond the guṇas.
Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in sattva, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is in rajas, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in tamas. Food offered to me is beyond the guṇas.
Anāyastam means attained without effort. The word ca indicates that food offered to me is beyond the guṇas.
Happiness arising from knowledge of ātmā is in sattva, happiness arising from sense objects is in rajas and happiness arising from delusion and degradation is in tamas. But that happiness arising from activities related to me is beyond the guṇas.
Happiness arising from knowledge of tat, ātmā, is in sattva. Happiness arising from chanting about me is beyond the guṇas.
Therefore food, place, result of activity, time, knowledge, work, the performer of work, faith, state of consciousness, species of life and destination after death are all based on the three guṇas.
Summarizing the topic, the Lord says that among all the things in the guṇas and beyond the guṇas, those things in the guṇas are causes of saṁsāra for the jīva. This is expressed in two and a half verses. Substance (food) was mentioned in verse 28. Place was described in verse 25. Results (happiness) were described in verse 29. Time was described in verse 13-15. Knowledge was described in verse 24. Action was described in verse 23. Performers of action were described in verse 26. Faith was described in verse 27. States of consciousness were described in verse 20.
Types of bodies were described in verse 22. Position (niṣṭhā) was described in verse 22. All these states are related to the three guṇas. Trai-guṇyaḥ means related to the guṇas.
O best of human beings! All states of material being related to the interaction of the jīva and prakṛti, whether seen, heard of or only inferred by intelligence, are without exception constituted of the guṇas.
Not only that, but all states based on the jīva and prakṛti, seen, heard about or inferred by intelligence, are related to the guṇas.
O gentle Uddhava, all these items related to the guṇas and karma are causes of saṁsāra. The living entity conquers these guṇas, manifested from the mind, by bhakti-yoga. Dedicated only to me, he surrenders and attains a loving relation to me.
These are causes of saṁsāra (saṁsṛtayaḥ) for the jīva. Knowledge and other items are causes of saṁsāra. Śrīdhara Svāmī however says that saṁṣrtayaḥ means that the items are caused by saṁsāra. These guṇas are conquered by means of bhakti-yoga, performed by the jīva. That person, dedicated to me (mat-niṣṭhaḥ), who is beyond the guṇas, surrenders to me for attaining sārūpya or for attaining dāsya, sakhya and other bhāvas for me (mad-bhāvāya). It has already been said that the devotee is beyond the guṇas and attains the Lord. Yānti mām eva nirguṇāḥ: the devotees, beyond the guṇas attain me. (SB 11.25.22) Nirguṇo mad-apāśrayaḥ: a performer of action who has taken shelter of me alone is beyond the guṇas. (SB 11.25.26)
lakṣaṇaṁ bhakti-yogasya nirguṇasya hy udāhṛtam
ahaituky avyavahitā yā bhaktiḥ puruṣottame
It is said that quality of bhakti beyond the guṇas is that it is devoid of other results other than bhakti and is unobstructed by other processes. SB 3.29.12
By this statement and the present verse which states that by bhakti one conquers the guṇas, it is understood that bhakti is beyond the guṇas. The ingredients used in deity worship in bhakti, such as incense, flowers, fragrance, lamp, umbrella and cāmara, are all beyond the guṇas. It has also been stated that the faith of the devotees is beyond the guṇas. It is understood from the Lord that anything related to bhakti is beyond the guṇas.
Therefore, having achieved this human form of life, which allows one to develop knowledge and realization through bhakti, those who are intelligent should free themselves from all contamination of the guṇas and worship me.
Having attained the human body (imam deham), which produces knowledge and realization arising from bhakti, the intelligent people should become free of association of the guṇas and worship me.
A wise sage, free from all material association and alert, should subdue his senses and worship me. He should conquer rajas and tamas by engaging himself only with things in sattva.
The Lord teaches the method of pure worship. One should be devoid of jñāna and karma (niḥsaḍgaḥ). Faith in service to you is beyond the guṇas. Faith in ātmā is in sattva-guṇa. Faith in prescribed karmas is in rajas. Faith in adharma is in tamas. Happiness arising from bhakti to you is beyond the guṇas. Happiness arising from ātmā, sense objects and illusion is in sattva, rajas and tamas. All these things are either in the guṇas or without guṇas. What should a person who worships you do in the beginning? This verse answers. It has been said that if he is endowed with bhakti alone, then he will conquer the three gunas by bhakti alone. That was already stated in verse 32. If he has a predominance of bhakti with some mixture of other elements (such as jñāna), then there is another method for conquering the three guṇas. That is stated in this verse. He engages in sattva to conquer rajas and tamas. It has been previously stated:
sāttvikāny eva seveta pumān sattva-vivṛddhaye
tato dharmas tato jñāna yāvat smṛtir apohanam
Until one realizes ātmā and destroys the guṇas, and the gross and subtle bodies, one must use sattvika items to increase sattva, which increase dharma, and then gives rise to jñāna. SB 11.13.6
Then, being fixed in devotional service, the sage should also conquer sattva by indifference toward it, arising from bhakti. Thus pacified within his mind, the jīva, freed from the guṇas, giving up the subtle body, attains me.
He should conquer sattva by indifference to it, arising from bhakti. He attains me, giving up the subtle body (jīvam).
Freed from the subtle body and from the qualities arising in his mind, the jīva becomes completely satisfied with me, the Brahman. He no longer searches for enjoyment in the external sense objects, nor does he experience internal emotions like lamentation.
Devoid of subtle body and qualities like lust arising in the antaḥkaraṇa, he does not enjoy externally objects of the senses such as material sound and internally emotions like lamentation and illusion.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Twenty-fifth Chapter, the functions of the guṇas and various objects affected by the guṇas, as well as objects beyond the guṇas are described in sequence.
The functions of the three guṇas are described because as long as one does not conquer the actions of the three guṇas one remains identifying with the body even if one can distinguish the body from the ātmā by Sāḍkhya. The guṇas are mixed but I will describe the guṇas not mixed with each other. Please understand as I speak (śaṁsataḥ) how a person is affected by each guṇa.