12. Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, longing—these arise when Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna!
Aprakaasho’pravrittishcha pramaado moha eva cha;
Tamasyetaani jaayante vivriddhe kurunandana.
13. Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna!
Yadaa sattwe pravriddhe tu pralayam yaati dehabhrit;
Tadottamavidaam lokaan amalaan pratipadyate.
14. If the embodied one meets with death when Sattwa has become predominant, then he attains to the spotless worlds of the knowers of the Highest.
Rajasi pralayam gatwaa karmasangishu jaayate;
Tathaa praleenastamasi moodhayonishu jaayate.
15. Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the senseless.
Karmanah sukritasyaahuh saattwikam nirmalam phalam;
Rajasastu phalam duhkham ajnaanam tamasah phalam.
16. The fruit of good action, they say, is Sattwic and pure; the fruit of Rajas is pain, and ignorance is the fruit of Tamas.
Sattwaat sanjaayate jnaanam rajaso lobha eva cha;
Pramaadamohau tamaso bhavato’jnaanameva cha.
17. From Sattwa arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and ignorance also.
Oordhwam gacchanti sattwasthaa madhye tishthanti raajasaah;
Jaghanyagunavrittisthaa adho gacchanti taamasaah.
18. Those who are seated in Sattwa proceed upwards; the Rajasic dwell in the middle; and the Tamasic, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, go downwards.
Naanyam gunebhyah kartaaram yadaa drashtaanupashyati;
Gunebhyashcha param vetti madbhaavam so’dhigacchati.
19. When the seer beholds no agent other than the Gunas, knowing that which is higher than them, he attains to My Being.
COMMENTARY: The seer knows that the Gunas alone are responsible for all actions and He is distinct from them.
Gunaanetaanateetya treen dehee dehasamudbhavaan;
Janmamrityujaraaduhkhair vimukto’mritamashnute.
20. The embodied one, having crossed beyond these three Gunas out of which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay and pain, and attains to immortality.
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Kairlingais treen gunaanetaan ateeto bhavati prabho;
Kimaachaarah katham chaitaam streen gunaan ativartate.
Arjuna said:
21. What are the marks of him who has crossed over the three qualities, O Lord? What is his conduct and how does he go beyond these three qualities?
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Prakaasham cha pravrittim cha mohameva cha paandava;
Na dweshti sampravrittaani na nivrittaani kaangkshati.
The Blessed Lord said:
22. Light, activity and delusion,—when they are present, O Arjuna, he hates not, nor does he long for them when they are absent!
Udaaseenavadaaseeno gunairyo na vichaalyate;
Gunaa vartanta ityeva yo’vatishthati nengate.
23. He who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the qualities, and who, knowing that the qualities are active, is self-centred and moves not,
Samaduhkhasukhah swasthah samaloshtaashmakaanchanah;
Tulyapriyaapriyo dheeras tulyanindaatma samstutih.
24. Alike in pleasure and pain, who dwells in the Self, to whom a clod of earth, stone and gold are alike, to whom the dear and the unfriendly are alike, firm, the same in censure and praise,
Maanaapamaanayostulyas tulyo mitraaripakshayoh;
Sarvaarambhaparityaagee gunaateetah sa uchyate.
25. The same in honour and dishonour, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings—he is said to have crossed the qualities.
Maam cha yo’vyabhichaarena bhaktiyogena sevate;
Sa gunaan samateetyaitaan brahmabhooyaaya kalpate.
26. And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, crossing beyond the qualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.
Brahmano hi pratishthaa’ham amritasyaavyayasya cha;
Shaashwatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikaantikasya cha.
27. For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal and the immutable, of everlasting Dharma and of absolute bliss.
Hari Om Tat Sat
Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu Brahmavidyaayaam
Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade
Gunatrayavibhaagayogo Naama Chaturdasho’dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the fourteenth discourse entitled:
“The Yoga of the Division Of the Three Gunas”