Bhagavatgita a detailed study chapter14 The three gunas

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Arjuna uvaacha

 

 

21.kairlingairsthreen

guNaan eThaan atheetho bhavathi prabho

kimaachraH kaThaam cha ethaan threen guNaan

 

athivarthathE

Arjuna

said

 

What

are the signs of one who has transcended the three gunas, oh Lord , how does he

behave and how does he transcend the three gunas?

 

This

is similar to the question in the second chapter where Arjuna enquired about the man of perfection. The transcendence of three

gunas being the prerequisite of the state of perfection, this is also the sign

of a man of perfection.

 

 

Krishna starts giving the description of a guNAtheetha in the slokas that follow.

 

 

 

Sreebhagavaan

uvaacha

 

22.prakaSam

cha pravrtthiScha moham eva cha arjuna

 

Na dhveshti sampravrtthaani na nivrtthaani

cha kaankshathi

 

..Arjuna,

when light, activity and delusion are present he does not hate what happened

nor longs for what did not.

 

Krishna starts giving the description of a guNAtheetha

 

The

three gunas are present in all. Even a gunatheetha may feel the light of knowledge

at times and also the need for activity or even the fatigue or sleep at other

times. These are the effects of the three gunas. But the difference between a gunaatheetha and others

is that the former is never influenced by them but just like an onlooker he is simply

aware of them. Hence he does not hate the effects of rajas and thamas because he

is not affected by it and knows that they are the reaction of the body, mind

and intellect towards the gunas outside Neither doe he yearns for the light of

satthva when it is absent because he is not affected by satthva also.

 

Then

how does he perceives the effects of the three gunas in him?

 

23.udhaaseenavath

aaseenaH guNaiH yo na vichaalyathe

 

guNaa varthantha ithyeva yo avathishTathi

na ingathe

 

Remaining as though indifferent, he is not moved by

the gunas. Knowing that the gunas are operating he does not swerve and stays

firm.

 

One

who has transcended the gunas has no attachment nor aversion for the effects of

the three gunas and simply perceives them with an attitude of indifference

knowing that the gunas are interacting with gunas. Since there is no

identification with the body and the senses he simply observes the happenings,

whether pleasing or otherwise and does not feel joy or sorrow.

 

 

 

24.

samadhuhkhasukhaH svasThaH

samaloshtaaSmakaanchanaH

 

thulyapriyaapriyo DheeraH

thulyanindhaathmasamsThuthiH

 

Even minded in joy and sorrow, staying in the Self,

looks upon a clod of earth a stone or

gold equally, treats pleasant and unpleasant alike and also insult and

praise equally.

 

25.maanaapamaanayoH

thulyaH

thulyo mithraaripakshayoH

 

sarvaarmbhaparithyaagee

 

gunaatheethaH sa uchyathe

 

He is the same in honour or disgrace, treats friend and enemy

alike, and who renounces all actions, he

is called the gunaatheetha, the one who has transcended the gunas.

 

..

 

To

him , who dwells in the self, pleasure and pain are the same and he treats a

clod of earth, a stone or a piece of gold as having equal value.. When one

looks upon a friend and foe alike, praise and insult or honour and dishonour as

the same , he has risen above the gunas. He rises above the body, mind and

intellect and all these mentioned above are only related to the realms of the

three, namely , body, mind and intellect. Hence he is not affected by the

opposites such as joy and sorrow.

 

The

picture of the gunaatheetha given in the above slokas are non-different from

that of Sthithaprajna in chapter 2.The Lord advised Arjuna there `thraigunyavishayaa vedhaaH nisthrigunyo

bhava arjuna.' (ch2.45) It was the state of gunaatheetha which was referred

to by these words. Krishna drew a portrait of

sThithaprajna in chapter 2 while in this chapter He shows the way to become a

sThithaprajna , which is to become a gunatheetha.