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<blockquote>कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो । किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥१४.२१॥<ref name=":3" />

<blockquote>कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो । किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥१४.२१॥<ref name=":3" />

kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho । kimācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁstrīnguṇānativartate ॥14.21॥</blockquote>The qualities that help recognise a person as one who has already transcended the three gunas, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, are as follows:

kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho । kimācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁstrīnguṇānativartate ॥14.21॥</blockquote>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, advancement and delusion when they are present nor longs for them when they disappear.

* 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, 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.

In this verse Arjuna enquires about the symptoms of a person who has already transcended the material modes.

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

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥१४.२४॥

* How he lives and what his activities are. Are they regulated or nonregulated ?

That is very important because unless one knows the direct means by which one can be situated always transcendentally, there is no possibility of showing the symptoms.

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥१४.२५॥<ref name=":3" />

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

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

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते । गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥१४- २३॥

samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ । tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṁstutiḥ ॥14.24॥

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥१४- २४॥

mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ । sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ॥14.25॥</blockquote>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.<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref name=":2" />

 

He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal towards the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honour and dishonour; who treats alike both friend and enemy and  who has renounced all material activities - such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature.

 

 

He who hates not light, activity and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they are absent;

 

He who, sitting like one unconcerned, is unmoved by the gunas, who remains firm and never wavers, knowing that the gunas alone active;

 

 

He who is the same in honour and dishonour, the same to friend and foe, and who has renounced all undertakings - such a man is said to have risen above the gunas.SN

 

Arjuna submitted three different questions and the Lord answers them one after another. In these verses, Krishna first indicates that a person transcendentally situated has no envy and does not hanker for anything. The next question concerns the dealings of a transcendentally situated person. The materially situated person is affected by so-called honour and dishonour offered to the body, but the transcendentally situated person is not affected by such false honour and dishonour. He is equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level because he knows perfectly well that he has nothing to do with material existence. He does not attempt anything for his own sake. By such behaviour one becomes actually transcendentally situated.

 

 

Light - the effect of sattva, activity - the effect of rajas, delusion - the effect of tamas.

 

He who hates not light, etc. - The man of right knowledge doe not hate the effects of the three gunas when they clearly present themselves as objects of consciousness, nor does he long for them when they have disappeared. This answers arjuna's first question. These are marks that others cannot perceive; they can be perceived only by the individual in whom they appear. No man can perceive the hatred or desire that presents itself to another man's consciousness.  

 

 

Has renounced all undertakings - He initiates no action, but leaves all works to be done by the gunas.

 

These attributes described in 14.22-25, have to be acquired by special effort prior to the attainment of Self-knowledge. The aspirant for Self-knowledge should therefore cultivate these virtues, as they are the means of attaining it. But on the birth of Self-knowledge, when the aspirant has become a jivanmukta, liberated while still living in the human body, all the vietues mentioned here form part and parcel of his nature and serve as marks of liberation which he can perceive for himself.

== Means to attain transcendence<ref name=":1" /> ==

== Means to attain transcendence<ref name=":1" /> ==