Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga (गुणत्रयविभागयोगः)

Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga (Samskrit: गुणत्रयविभागयोगः) is the name of the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This chapter enumerates on the three cosmic qualities - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. It is said that the secret to success in both worldly as well as adhyatmik life lies in the knowledge of these three gunas.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

The Chapter Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga focuses on the knowledge of the three cosmic qualities or Gunas, namely, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The knowledge of these three Gunas that hold the entire universe and all creatures under their sway, is of vital importance to each and everyone. Because, without this knowledge one will forever be bound by sorrow. Therefore, one should acquire this precious knowledge for progress and happiness in life.

अध्यायसारः ॥ Summary of the Fourteenth Chapter

In this Chapter, Shri Krishna reveals that the three qualities Sattva, Rajas and Tamas constitute the Cosmic Nature. And this Cosmic Nature is the primary source where entire creation and all things in it originate. The Supreme Being brings about creation through the help of Prakrti (Nature) endowed with these threefold qualities. Hence, all things created are subject to the influence and irresistible power of the trigunas. Therefore, the individual atma is also bound to the body by these three qualities present in Cosmic Nature.

Explaining the trigunas it is said, Sattva is the highest of the three qualities and is pure. It brings about happiness, wisdom and also illumination. The second quality of Rajas gives rise to passion manifested by intense attachment and greed. Therefore, it causes sorrow and suffering. However, the third one termed as Tamas, is the least admissible in adhyatmik journey as it arises due to ignorance and results in darkness, lethargy and delusion.

Sri Krishna then enumerates the ideal reciprocation to the existence of these gunas within oneself. He says, one should diligently endeavour to cast out Tamas from one's very nature. As far as Rajas is concerned, it should be controlled and mastered. So that, by holding it in check, one can wisely divert its power towards good activities. Sattva also should be cultivated, developed and conserved carefully. For, it enables one to attain immortality. However, a realised seer is expected to go beyond all these qualities. Because, although Sattva enables a realised seer to reach the ultimate reality, if he is attached to it, then even this quality will bind him.

It is also said that an aspirant should know the symptoms and signs of the presence of the trigunas in one's personality and acquire a knowledge of their subtle workings. Only then can one maintain an unhampered and smooth progress in all activities of life, both material as well as adhyatmik. This important subject is expounded by Sri Krishna in the verses nine to eighteen of this chapter. Shri Krishna then declares that one who rises beyond all these three Gunas through adhyatmik practices, becomes free from birth, death, old age and sorrow, and enjoys immortality. And as Arjuna questions on how to identify such individuals, Shri Krishna replies by describing the marks of one who has risen above the three Gunas. He also states that if one constantly worships Him with exclusive devotion, one will attain the highest divine experience and supreme peace and blessedness.

विषयः पार्श्वभूमिश्च ॥ Subject Matter and Background

The previous chapter (Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga) explained that knowledge of Purusha and Prakrti along with the Gunas, would facilitate freedom from material entanglement. And that a living entity gets entangled in this material world due to its association with the three Gunas.

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह । सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥१३.२३॥

पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्‌क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् । कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥१३.२१॥

ya evaṁ vetti puruṣaṁ prakr̥tiṁ ca guṇaiḥ saha । sarvathā vartamāno'pi na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate ॥13.23॥

puruṣaḥ prakr̥tistho hi bhuṅ‌kte prakr̥tijānguṇān । kāraṇaṁ guṇasaṅgo'sya sadasadyonijanmasu ॥13.21॥

This forms the basis for the discussion in this chapter on what the three Gunas are, how they act, how they bind and how they facilitate moksha. Shri Krishna begins by stating that the knowledge explained in this chapter is supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge. And that, it is the knowledge by understanding which all sages have attained highest perfection after passing from this world.

परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः ॥१४.१॥ paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānamuttamam । yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhimito gatāḥ ॥14.1॥

Thus, it is expected that the one who understands this fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita will also attain perfection. Moreover, he states that resorting to this knowledge, one attains similarity with the Supreme Being and thereby is neither born at the time of creation nor is troubled at the time of dissolution.

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः । सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ॥१४.२॥ idaṁ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ । sarge'pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti ca ॥14.2॥

सृष्टिः ॥ Creation

Having stated the importance of the knowledge of Trigunas in transcending the effects of creation and dissolution, Shri Krishna expands on the process of creation itself. He states that the great brahman is the womb wherein the seed is placed and thence the birth of all living beings become possible.

मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् । संभवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ॥१४.३॥ mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmingarbhaṁ dadhāmyaham । saṁbhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata ॥14.3॥

The great brahman here refers to Prakrti or material nature which is the material cause of the entire cosmic manifestation. It is further stated that all species of life that are produced through any womb, are ultimately born of the great womb of brahman or Prakrti and Bhagavan himself is the seed-giving father.

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः संभवन्ति याः । तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥१४.४॥ sarvayoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ saṁbhavanti yāḥ । tāsāṁ brahma mahadyonirahaṁ bījapradaḥ pitā ॥14.4॥

This emphasizes that created beings are produced from the union of Purusha and Prakriti. And the Supreme Being not only unites Prakrti and Purusha to cause the birth of created beings at the beginning of a creation cycle, but is also the ultimate cause of every birth that takes place on the earth.

त्रिगुणाः ॥ Trigunas

Main article: Trigunas (त्रिगुणाः)

Living entities vary in their psychological manifestations. This is a result of their conditioned nature. The following section of the chapter explains how living entities are differently conditioned. It says,

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः । निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥१४.५॥ sattvaṁ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakr̥tisaṁbhavāḥ । nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam ॥14.5॥

Meaning: The Gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, born out of the Prakrti, bind the great eternal embodied one within the body.

So, when the eternal living entity ie. Purusha comes in contact with the material nature or Prakrti consisting of the three modes or gunas viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, all the resultant creations become conditioned by these gunas giving rise to the varieties in actions and emotions.

सत्त्वम् ॥ Sattva

Main article: Sattva (सत्त्वम्)

Of the three gunas, Sattva is illuminating on account of its purity and propagates well-being. It enjoins one with happiness and knowledge.

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् । सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥१४.६॥ tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam । sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha ॥14.6॥

It is interesting to note here that on account of its purity, sattva is described as the perfect mirror to illumine and reflect knowledge that is the cause of spiritual bliss.

So, a person under the influence of sattva becomes attached to happiness and knowledge that are attributes of mind, a form of matter. This identification with matter binds the free and totally unattached Self. And that is how sattva guna binds one to the world.

रजः ॥ Rajas

Main article: Rajas (रजः)

Rajas is known as the essence of passion. Born out of thirst/longings and attachment, it binds the embodied entity to material fruitive actions.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् । तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥१४.७॥ rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tr̥ṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam । tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ॥14.7॥

It is thirst for a yet unattained object and attachment towards what has already been attained that impel a worldly person to action. So, when rajas born out thirst and attachment dominates in a person, one develops the hankering for material enjoyment and sense gratification. And to fulfil the hankering, one has to work hard thereby associating with the fruits of one's activities and getting bound by them.

तमः ॥ Tamas

Main article: Tamas (तमः)

Tamas is known to be born out of ignorance and deludes all embodied beings and binds them with insanity, laziness and sleep.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥१४.८॥ tamastvajñānajaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarvadehinām । pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ॥14.8॥

So, under the influence of tamas one becomes inattentive, slothful and idle. Unlike the mode of Sattva guna where, by development of knowledge, one can understand what is what, under the spell of tamoguna, instead of making an advancement, one becomes degraded. Moreover, the tamasikas are not active like those who are controlled by rajoguna. Those conditioned by tamoguna sleep more than required, appear to be always dejected and are addicted to intoxicants and sleeping.

गुणानां तारतम्यम् ॥ Proportionality of Gunas

Each of the three gunas have their own function that they perform. It is said,

सत्त्वं सुखे संजयति रजः कर्मणि भारत । ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे संजयत्युत ॥१४.९॥ sattvaṁ sukhe saṁjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata । jñānamāvr̥tya tu tamaḥ pramāde saṁjayatyuta ॥14.9॥

Meaning: Sattva binds one to happiness, and rajas to fruitive action, whereas tamas veils knowledge and binds one to madness.

Sattva is said to be the illuminating or enlightening quality that helps one to understand the truth or reality of the situation, gives clarity and thus helps one to understand real bliss or happiness. Rajas owing to its passionate nature, consistently forces one to initiate actions to achieve goals and thus, that person gets engaged in the pursuit of various pleasures. On the other hand, Tamas by nature clouds the wisdom and incapacitates individual to know the truth or to understand the real nature of anything.

Describing the interaction between the three gunas within an individual, the Bhagavad Gita states,

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत । रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥१४.१०॥ rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata । rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajastathā ॥14.10॥

Meaning: Sattva asserts itself by prevailing over rajas and tamas, rajas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and tamas and tamas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and rajas.

There is always prominence of some guna manifested in one's dealings. And when one of the gunas prevails over the other two, it produces its own effect which is described as knowledge and happiness in case of sattva, attachment and action-orientedness in case of rajas and veiled discrimination power, lethargy and carelessness in case of tamas. Therefore, by the manifested activities, the inherent or prominent guna of an individual can be understood. And by practice, one may nurture the prominence of the desired guna in oneself.

सत्त्वस्याविर्भावः ॥ Manifestation of Sattva

According to the Bhagavad Gita, when the light of knowledge shines through all the gateways of the body, that is known as the manifestation of sattva.

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते । ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥१४.११॥ sarvadvāreṣu dehe'sminprakāśa upajāyate । jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyādvivr̥ddhaṁ sattvamityuta ॥14.11॥

Here, by gateways are meant the senses, which are the gateways of perception. In the mode of sattva, one can see, hear, taste, experience all things in the right manner and thereby becomes cleansed inside and outside. Therefore, cultivation of sattva is considered the highest virtue in the relative world. However, if excessively cherished, sattva degenerates into rajas and tamas, which are always present, in however small proportion, along with sattva. Hence, moksha is described as consisting in transcending all the three gunas.

रजस्तमसोः अतिरेकः ॥ Excess of Rajas and Tamas

The Bhagavad Gita clearly enumerates the symptoms of excessive rajas and tamas in a individual as follows:

• Predominant rajas is characterised by great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavour and uncontrollable desire and hankering (for sense gratification).
• Predominant tamas is characterised by darkness (absence of discrimination), idleness, madness and illusion.

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा । रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥१४.१२॥

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च । तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥१४.१३॥

lobhaḥ pravr̥ttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spr̥hā । rajasyetāni jāyante vivr̥ddhe bharatarṣabha ॥14.12॥

aprakāśo'pravr̥ttiśca pramādo moha eva ca । tamasyetāni jāyante vivr̥ddhe kurunandana ॥14.13॥

Moreover, a tamasika individual does not work by any regulative principle. In the mode of tamas, even though there is capacity to work, there is absence of endeavour.

गुणानां तुलना ॥ Trigunas in Comparison

	Sattva	Rajas	Tamas
Life after death	When one dies established in the Sattva Guna, one attains the spotless realms of those knowledgeable about the Supreme. यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् । तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ॥१४.१४॥ yadā sattve pravr̥ddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti dehabhr̥t । tadottamavidāṁ lokānamalānpratipadyate ॥14.14॥ The realms attained by sattvikas are termed 'amala' or spotless since they are thoroughly free from rajas and tamas. And such realms are attainable only by those engaged in the worship of the Supreme.	When one dies established in Rajoguna, one takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities. रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते ।...॥१४.१५॥ rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate ।...॥14.15॥	When one dies established in Tamoguna, one is born in the wombs of those devoid of reason. ...तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥१४.१५॥ ...tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate ॥14.15॥
Nature of Fruit	The result of pious actions performed in the mode of Sattva is pure. कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् ।...॥१४.१६॥ karmaṇaḥ sukr̥tasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam ।...॥14.16॥	The fruit of rajasika actions is pain. ... रजसस्तु फलं दुःखम्...॥१४.१६॥... rajasastu phalaṁ duḥkham...॥14.16॥	The fruit of tamasika actions is ignorance. ...अज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥१४.१६॥...ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam ॥14.16॥
Effects	Sattva gives rise to knowledge. सत्त्वात्संजायते ज्ञानं...॥१४.१७॥sattvātsaṁjāyate jñānaṁ...॥14.17॥	Rajas gives rise to greed. रजसो लोभ एव च ।...॥१४.१७॥rajaso lobha eva ca ।...॥14.17॥ Hence, the result action influenced by rajas is painful.	Tamas gives rise to insanity, affliction and ignorance. प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ॥१४.१७॥pramādamohau tamaso bhavato'jñānameva ca ॥14.17॥
Final destination	Those who are established in sattva guna go upward. ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था...॥१४.१८॥ ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattvasthā...॥14.18॥	Those who are influenced by rajoguna remain on the earth. ...मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।...॥१४.१८॥ ...madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ ।...॥14.18॥	Those who are steeped in tamas, being weighted by its tendencies, go downward. ...जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥१४.१८॥ ...jaghanyaguṇavr̥ttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ॥14.18॥ Therefore, those who are continuously in the mode of tamas, fail to rise to a higher mode.

त्रिगुणातिचारः ॥ Transcending Trigunas

The gunas transform themselves into bodies, senses and sense-objects. Therefore, the agent, instrument and result of action are only modifications of the gunas and belong to Prakriti. And the Supreme Being who dwells in every human being as the innermost Self is the witness of the Gunas and their functions. According to the Bhagavad Gita, when one properly beholds that in all activities no other performer is at work other than these trigunas and knows the Supreme Being, who is beyond these trigunas, then one's spiritual nature identical to that of the Supreme Being becomes manifest.

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति । गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥१४.१९॥ nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati । guṇebhyaśca paraṁ vetti madbhāvaṁ so'dhigacchati ॥14.19॥

When the embodied being is able to transcend these trigunas associated with the material body, he becomes free from birth, death, old age and the distresses associated with them and can experience deliverance even while living in the bodily form.

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् । जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥१४.२०॥ guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān । janmamr̥tyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mr̥tamaśnute ॥14.20॥

Thus, the result of transcending the trigunas is attainment of moksha. And even within the material body, one can be free from the influence of the trigunas by one's advancement in spiritual knowledge.

त्रिगुणातीतलक्षणानि ॥ Trigunatita lakshanani

Having understood the importance of transcending the trigunas, Arjuna poses the following three questions to Shri Krishna.

• By which symptoms is one recognised as trigunatita or one who has transcended the three gunas ?
• What is the code of conduct of the one who is trigunatita ?
• How does one transcend the trigunas ?

कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो । किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥१४.२१॥ kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho । kimācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁstrīnguṇānativartate ॥14.21॥

In reply to this question Shri Krishna enlists the qualities that help recognise a person as one who has transcended the three gunas. They are,

• One who neither hates illumination (the effect of sattva), advancement (the effect of rajas) and delusion (the effect of tamas) when they are present nor longs for them when they disappear. That is, one who neither hates nor longs for the effects of the three gunas when they clearly present themselves as objects of consciousness or disappear.
• One who, sitting indifferently, knowing that the gunas alone are active, remaining neutral, is undisturbed by the gunas.
• One who being established in the Self regards alike distress and happiness, who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold as of equal worth, who remains the same amidst the desirable and the undesirable, who is steady and sees no difference between blame and praise.
• One who is the same in honour and dishonour, who treats alike both friend and enemy and who has renounced all material activities.

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव । न द्वेष्टि संप्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ॥१४.२२॥

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते । गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥१४.२३॥

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥१४.२४॥

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥१४.२५॥

prakāśaṁ ca pravr̥ttiṁ ca mohameva ca pāṇḍava । na dveṣṭi saṁpravr̥ttāni na nivr̥ttāni kāṅkṣati ॥14.22॥

udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate । guṇā vartanta ityeva yo'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate ॥14.23॥

samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ । tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṁstutiḥ ॥14.24॥

mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ । sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ॥14.25॥

Therefore, a person transcendentally situated has no envy and does not hanker for anything. Knowing that one has nothing to do with material existence, the transcendentally situated person is not affected by the polar opposites or extremities and is equally disposed towards everything. Corollary to this, by such a behaviour one can actually become transcendentally situated.

So, this enumeration not only helps one self-assess if one has already transcended the influence of the trigunas but also guides those on the path on the conducive codes of conduct by which means one can attain the transcendental nature. In short, the attributes described in verses 14.22-25 are the virtues to be cultivated by an aspirant of Self-knowledge as a means of attaining it. And when the aspirant becomes a jivanmukta, freed while still living in the human body, all these virtues become a part of his nature and serve as marks of mukti that is perceivable for himself.

त्रिगुणातीतसाधनम् ॥ Means to Attain Transcendence

Having enumerated the characteristics of a Trigunatita, Shri Krishna then declares Bhakti Yoga as the means to transcend the Trigunas. He says,

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते । स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥१४.२६॥

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च । शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ॥१४.२७॥

māṁ ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate । sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate ॥14.26॥

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamr̥tasyāvyayasya ca । śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ॥14.27॥

Meaning: One who engages in complete devotional service (to Shri Krishna), unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and becomes fit to be one with the Brahman. For, He is the abode of the immortal and immutable Brahman, eternal dharma and absolute bliss.

It is explained in the Seventh Chapter (Jnana Vijnana Yoga) that material nature is the manifestation of the inferior energy of the Supreme Being. When a living entity conditioned by this material nature begins cultivation of spiritual knowledge, he elevates himself from the position of material existence and gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of the Supreme.

Though in the constitutional position, a living entity is above the trigunas, association with material nature entangles one in the different modes of material nature viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Due to this association, one desires to dominate the material world. By engagement in devotional service, one is immediately situated in the transcendental position and the unlawful desire to control the material nature is removed.

Shri Krishna thus, answers Arjuna's third question on the means to attain a transcendental position.