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== त्रिगुणाः ॥ Trigunas ==

== त्रिगुणाः ॥ Trigunas ==

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.<ref name=":1" /> It says, <blockquote>सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः । निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥१४.५॥<ref name=":3" />

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.<ref name=":1" /> It says, <blockquote>सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः । निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥१४.५॥<ref name=":3" />

=== सत्त्वम् ॥ Sattva ===

=== सत्त्वम् ॥ Sattva ===

Of the three gunas, Sattva is illuminating on account of its purity and propagates well-being. It enjoins one with happiness and knowledge.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् । सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥१४.६॥<ref name=":3" />

Of the three gunas, Sattva is illuminating on account of its purity and propagates well-being. It enjoins one with happiness and knowledge.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् । सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥१४.६॥<ref name=":3" />

=== रजः ॥ Rajas ===

=== रजः ॥ Rajas ===

Rajas is known as the essence of passion. Born out of thirst/longings and attachment, it binds the embodied entity to material fruitive actions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><blockquote>रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् । तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥१४.७॥<ref name=":3" />

Rajas is known as the essence of passion. Born out of thirst/longings and attachment, it binds the embodied entity to material fruitive actions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><blockquote>रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् । तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥१४.७॥<ref name=":3" />

=== तमः ॥ Tamas ===

=== तमः ॥ Tamas ===

Tamas is known to be born out of ignorance and deludes all embodied beings and binds them with insanity, laziness and sleep.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥१४.८॥<ref name=":3" /> tamastvajñānajaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarvadehinām । pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ॥14.8॥</blockquote>So, under the influence of tamas one becomes inattentive, slothful and idle.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":1" />

Tamas is known to be born out of ignorance and deludes all embodied beings and binds them with insanity, laziness and sleep.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥१४.८॥<ref name=":3" /> tamastvajñānajaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarvadehinām । pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ॥14.8॥</blockquote>So, under the influence of tamas one becomes inattentive, slothful and idle.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":1" />

...jaghanyaguṇavr̥ttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ॥14.18॥</blockquote>Therefore, those who are continuously in the mode of tamas, fail to rise to a higher mode.

...jaghanyaguṇavr̥ttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ॥14.18॥</blockquote>Therefore, those who are continuously in the mode of tamas, fail to rise to a higher mode.

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== त्रिगुणातिचारः ॥ Transcending Trigunas<ref name=":1" /> ==

== 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.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति । गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥१४.१९॥<ref name=":3" />

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.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति । गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥१४.१९॥<ref name=":3" />

guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān । janmamr̥tyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mr̥tamaśnute ॥14.20॥</blockquote>Thus, the result of transcending the trigunas is attainment of moksha.<ref name=":2" /> And even within the material body, one can be free from the influence of the trigunas by one's advancement in spiritual knowledge.<ref name=":1" />

guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān । janmamr̥tyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mr̥tamaśnute ॥14.20॥</blockquote>Thus, the result of transcending the trigunas is attainment of moksha.<ref name=":2" /> And even within the material body, one can be free from the influence of the trigunas by one's advancement in spiritual knowledge.<ref name=":1" />

== त्रिगुणातीतलक्षणानि ॥ Trigunatita lakshanani<ref name=":1" /> ==

== त्रिगुणातीतलक्षणानि ॥ Trigunatita lakshanani ==

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

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