Bhagavad-gita As It Is
CHAPTER 14: The Three Modes Of Material Nature
©1989, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Text:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22-25,
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27
TEXT 1
sri-bhagavan uvaca
param bhuyah pravaksyami
jnananam jnanam uttamam
yaj jnatva munayah sarve
param siddhimn ito gatah
WORD FOR WORD
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
param -- transcendental; bhuyah -- again; pravaksyami
-- I shall speak; jnananam -- of all knowledge; jnanam --
knowledge; uttamam -- the supreme; yat -- which;
jnatva -- knowing; munayah -- the sages; sarve --
all; param -- transcendental; siddhim -- perfection;
itah -- from this world; gatah -- attained.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this
supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages
have attained the supreme perfection.
PURPORT
From the Seventh Chapter to the end of the Twelfth Chapter, Sri Krishna in
detail reveals the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Now, the Lord Himself is further enlightening Arjuna. If one understands
this chapter through the process of philosophical speculation, he will
come to an understanding of devotional service. In the Thirteenth Chapter,
it was clearly explained that by humbly developing knowledge one may
possibly be freed from material entanglement. It has also been explained
that it is due to association with the modes of nature that the living
entity is entangled in this material world. Now, in this chapter, the
Supreme Personality explains what those modes of nature are, how they act,
how they bind and how they give liberation. The knowledge explained in
this chapter is proclaimed by the Supreme Lord to be superior to the
knowledge given so far in other chapters. By understanding this knowledge,
various great sages attained perfection and transferred to the spiritual
world. The Lord now explains the same knowledge in a better way. This
knowledge is far, far superior to all other processes of knowledge thus
far explained, and knowing this many attained perfection. Thus it is
expected that one who understands this Fourteenth Chapter will attain
perfection.
TEXT 2
idam jnanam upasritya
mama sadharmyam agatah
sarge 'pi nopajayante
pralaye na vyathanti ca
WORD FOR WORD
idam -- this; jnanam -- knowledge; upasritya --
taking shelter of; mama -- My; sadharmyam -- same nature;
agatah -- having attained; sarge api -- even in the
creation; na -- never; upajayante -- are born;
pralaye -- in the annihilation; na -- nor; vyathanti
-- are disturbed; ca -- also.
TRANSLATION
By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental
nature like My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of
creation or disturbed at the time of dissolution.
PURPORT
After acquiring perfect transcendental knowledge, one acquires qualitative
equality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, becoming free from the
repetition of birth and death. One does not, however, lose his identity as
an individual soul. It is understood from Vedic literature that the
liberated souls who have reached the transcendental planets of the
spiritual sky always look to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, being
engaged in His transcendental loving service. So, even after liberation,
the devotees do not lose their individual identities.
Generally, in the material world, whatever knowledge we get is
contaminated by the three modes of material nature. Knowledge which is not
contaminated by the three modes of nature is called transcendental
knowledge. As soon as one is situated in that transcendental knowledge, he
is on the same platform as the Supreme Person. Those who have no knowledge
of the spiritual sky hold that after being freed from the material
activities of the material form, this spiritual identity becomes formless,
without any variegatedness. However, just as there is material
variegatedness in this world, in the spiritual world there is also
variegatedness. Those in ignorance of this think that spiritual existence
is opposed to material variety. But actually, in the spiritual sky, one
attains a spiritual form. There are spiritual activities, and the
spiritual situation is called devotional life. That atmosphere is said to
be uncontaminated, and there one is equal in quality with the Supreme
Lord. To obtain such knowledge, one must develop all the spiritual
qualities. One who thus develops the spiritual qualities is not affected
either by the creation or by the destruction of the material world.
TEXT 3
mama yonir mahad brahma
tasmin garbham dadhamy aham
sam bhavah sarva-bhutanam
tato bhavati bharata
WORD FOR WORD
mama -- My; yonih -- source of birth; mahat -- the
total material existence; brahma -- supreme; tasmin -- in
that; garbham -- pregnancy; dadhami -- create; aham
-- I; sambhavah -- the possibility; sarva-bhutanam -- of all
living entities; tatah -- thereafter; bhavati -- becomes;
bharata -- O son of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and
it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all
living beings, O son of Bharata.
PURPORT
This is an explanation of the world: everything that takes place is due to
the combination of ksetra and ksetra-jna, the body and the
spirit soul. This combination of material nature and the living entity is
made possible by the Supreme God Himself. The mahat-tattva is the
total cause of the total cosmic manifestation; and that total substance of
the material cause, in which there are three modes of nature, is sometimes
called Brahman. The Supreme Personality impregnates that total substance,
and thus innumerable universes become possible. This total material
substance, the mahat-tattva, is described as Brahman in the Vedic
literature (Mundaka Upanisad 1.1.19): tasmad etad brahma
nama-rupam annam ca jayate. The Supreme Person impregnates that
Brahman with the seeds of the living entities. The twenty-four elements,
beginning from earth, water, fire and air, are all material energy, and
they constitute what is called mahad brahma, or the great Brahman,
the material nature. As explained in the Seventh Chapter, beyond this
there is another, superior nature -- the living entity. Into material
nature the superior nature is mixed by the will of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and thereafter all living entities are born of this material
nature.
The scorpion lays its eggs in piles of rice, and sometimes it is said that
the scorpion is born out of rice. But the rice is not the cause of the
scorpion. Actually, the eggs were laid by the mother. Similarly, material
nature is not the cause of the birth of the living entities. The seed is
given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they only seem to come
out as products of material nature. Thus every living entity, according to
his past activities, has a different body, created by this material
nature, so that the entity can enjoy or suffer according to his past
deeds. The Lord is the cause of all the manifestations of living entities
in this material world.
TEXT 4
sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
WORD FOR WORD
sarva-yonisu -- in all species of life; kaunteya -- O son of
Kunti; murtayah -- forms; sambhavanti -- they appear;
yah -- which; tasam -- of all of them; brahma -- the
supreme; mahat yonih -- source of birth in the material substance;
aham -- I; bija-pradah -- the seed-giving; pita --
father.
TRANSLATION
It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made
possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving
father.
PURPORT
In this verse it is clearly explained that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Krishna, is the original father of all living entities. The
living entities are combinations of the material nature and the spiritual
nature. Such living entities are seen not only on this planet but on every
planet, even on the highest, where Brahma is situated. Everywhere there
are living entities; within the earth there are living entities, even
within water and within fire. All these appearances are due to the mother,
material nature, and Krishna's seed-giving process. The purport is that
the material world is impregnated with living entities, who come out in
various forms at the time of creation according to their past deeds.
TEXT 5
sattvam rajas tama iti
gunah prakrti-sambhavah
nibadhnanti maha-baho
dehe dehinam avyayam
WORD FOR WORD
sattvam -- the mode of goodness; rajah -- the mode of
passion; tamah -- the mode of ignorance; iti -- thus;
gunah -- the qualities; prakrti -- material nature;
sambhavah -- produced of; nibadhnanti -- do condition;
maha-baho -- O mighty-armed one; dehe -- in this body;
dehinam -- the living entity; avyayam -- eternal.
TRANSLATION
Material nature consists of three modes -- goodness, passion and
ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O
mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
PURPORT
The living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with
this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the
material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of
material nature. Because living entities have different kinds of bodies,
in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act
according to that nature. This is the cause of the varieties of happiness
and distress.
TEXT 6
tatra sattvam nirmalatvat
prakasakam anamayam
sukha-sangena badhnati
jnana-sangena canagha
WORD FOR WORD
tatra -- there; sattvam -- the mode of goodness;
nirmalatvat -- being purest in the material world;
prakasakam -- illuminating; anamayam -- without any sinful
reaction; sukha -- with happiness; sangena -- by
association; badhnati -- conditions; jnana -- with
knowledge; sangena -- by association; ca -- also;
anagha -- O sinless one.
TRANSLATION
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is
illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated
in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
PURPORT
The living entities conditioned by material nature are of various types.
One is happy, another is very active, and another is helpless. All these
types of psychological manifestations are causes of the entities'
conditioned status in nature. How they are differently conditioned is
explained in this section of Bhagavad-gita. The mode of goodness is
first considered. The effect of developing the mode of goodness in the
material world is that one becomes wiser than those otherwise conditioned.
A man in the mode of goodness is not so much affected by material
miseries, and he has a sense of advancement in material knowledge. The
representative type is the brahmana, who is supposed to be situated
in the mode of goodness. This sense of happiness is due to understanding
that, in the mode of goodness, one is more or less free from sinful
reactions. Actually, in the Vedic literature it is said that the mode of
goodness means greater knowledge and a greater sense of happiness.
The difficulty here is that when a living entity is situated in the mode
of goodness he becomes conditioned to feel that he is advanced in
knowledge and is better than others. In this way he becomes conditioned.
The best examples are the scientist and the philosopher. Each is very
proud of his knowledge, and because they generally improve their living
conditions, they feel a sort of material happiness. This sense of advanced
happiness in conditioned life makes them bound by the mode of goodness of
material nature. As such, they are attracted toward working in the mode of
goodness, and, as long as they have an attraction for working in that way,
they have to take some type of body in the modes of nature. Thus there is
no likelihood of liberation, or of being transferred to the spiritual
world. Repeatedly one may become a philosopher, a scientist or a poet, and
repeatedly become entangled in the same disadvantages of birth and death.
But, due to the illusion of the material energy, one thinks that that sort
of life is pleasant.
TEXT 7
rajo ragatmakam viddhi
trsna-sanga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnati kaunteya
karma-sangena dehinam
WORD FOR WORD
rajah -- the mode of passion; raga-atmakam -- born of desire
or lust; viddhi -- know; trsna -- with hankering;
sanga -- association; samudbhavam -- produced of; tat
-- that; nibadhnati -- binds; kaunteya -- O son of Kunti;
karma-sangena -- by association with fruitive activity;
dehinam -- the embodied.
TRANSLATION
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of
Kunti, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material
fruitive actions.
PURPORT
The mode of passion is characterized by the attraction between man and
woman. Woman has attraction for man, and man has attraction for woman.
This is called the mode of passion. And when the mode of passion is
increased, one develops the hankering for material enjoyment. He wants to
enjoy sense gratification. For sense gratification, a man in the mode of
passion wants some honor in society, or in the nation, and he wants to
have a happy family, with nice children, wife and house. These are the
products of the mode of passion. As long as one is hankering after these
things, he has to work very hard. Therefore it is clearly stated here that
he becomes associated with the fruits of his activities and thus becomes
bound by such activities. In order to please his wife, children and
society and to keep up his prestige, one has to work. Therefore, the whole
material world is more or less in the mode of passion. Modern civilization
is considered to be advanced in the standard of the mode of passion.
Formerly, the advanced condition was considered to be in the mode of
goodness. If there is no liberation for those in the mode of goodness,
what to speak of those who are entangled in the mode of passion?
TEXT 8
tamas tv ajnana-jam viddhi
mohanam sarva-dehinam
pramadalasya-nidrabhis
tan nibadhnati bharata
WORD FOR WORD
tamah -- the mode of ignorance; tu -- but; ajnana-jam
-- produced of ignorance; viddhi -- know; mohanam -- the
delusion; sarva-dehinam -- of all embodied beings; pramada
-- with madness; alasya -- indolence; nidrabhih -- and
sleep; tat -- that; nibadhnati -- binds; bharata -- O
son of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is
the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are
madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
PURPORT
In this verse the specific application of the word tu is very
significant. This means that the mode of ignorance is a very peculiar
qualification of the embodied soul. The mode of ignorance is just the
opposite of the mode of goodness. In the mode of goodness, by development
of knowledge, one can understand what is what, but the mode of ignorance
is just the opposite. Everyone under the spell of the mode of ignorance
becomes mad, and a madman cannot understand what is what. Instead of
making advancement, one becomes degraded. The definition of the mode of
ignorance is stated in the Vedic literature.
Vastu-yathatmya-jnanavarakam viparyaya-jnana-janakam tamah: under
the spell of ignorance, one cannot understand a thing as it is. For
example, everyone can see that his grandfather has died and therefore he
will also die; man is mortal. The children that he conceives will also
die. So death is sure. Still, people are madly accumulating money and
working very hard all day and night, not caring for the eternal spirit.
This is madness. In their madness, they are very reluctant to make
advancement in spiritual understanding. Such people are very lazy. When
they are invited to associate for spiritual understanding, they are not
much interested. They are not even active like the man who is controlled
by the mode of passion. Thus another symptom of one embedded in the mode
of ignorance is that he sleeps more than is required. Six hours of sleep
is sufficient, but a man in the mode of ignorance sleeps at least ten or
twelve hours a day. Such a man appears to be always dejected and is
addicted to intoxicants and sleeping. These are the symptoms of a person
conditioned by the mode of ignorance.
TEXT 9
sattvam sukhe sanjayati
rajah karmani bharata
jnanam avrtya tu tamah
pramade sanjayaty uta
WORD FOR WORD
sattvam -- the mode of goodness; sukhe -- in happiness;
sanjayati -- binds; rajah -- the mode of passion;
karmani -- in fruitive activity; bharata -- O son of
Bharata; jnanam -- knowledge; avrtya -- covering; tu
-- but; tamah -- the mode of ignorance; pramade -- in
madness; sanjayati -- binds; uta -- it is said.
TRANSLATION
O son of Bharata, the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness;
passion conditions one to fruitive action; and ignorance, covering one's
knowledge, binds one to madness.
PURPORT
A person in the mode of goodness is satisfied by his work or intellectual
pursuit, just as a philosopher, scientist or educator may be engaged in a
particular field of knowledge and may be satisfied in that way. A man in
the mode of passion may be engaged in fruitive activity; he owns as much
as he can and spends for good causes. Sometimes he tries to open
hospitals, give to charity institutions, etc. These are signs of one in
the mode of passion. And the mode of ignorance covers knowledge. In the
mode of ignorance, whatever one does is good neither for him nor for
anyone.
TEXT 10
rajas tamas cabhibhuya
sattvam bhavati bharata
rajah sattvam tamas caiva
tamah sattvam rajas tatha
WORD FOR WORD
rajah -- the mode of passion; tamah -- the mode of
ignorance; ca -- also; abhibhuya -- surpassing;
sattvam -- the mode of goodness; bhavati -- becomes
prominent; bharata -- O son of Bharata; rajah -- the mode of
passion; sattvam -- the mode of goodness; tamah -- the mode
of ignorance; ca -- also; eva -- like that; tamah --
the mode of ignorance; sattvam -- the mode of goodness;
rajah -- the mode of passion; tatha -- thus.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes of
passion and ignorance, O son of Bharata. Sometimes the mode of passion
defeats goodness and ignorance, and at other times ignorance defeats
goodness and passion. In this way there is always competition for
supremacy.
PURPORT
When the mode of passion is prominent, the modes of goodness and ignorance
are defeated. When the mode of goodness is prominent, passion and
ignorance are defeated. And when the mode of ignorance is prominent,
passion and goodness are defeated. This competition is always going on.
Therefore, one who is actually intent on advancing in Krishna
consciousness has to transcend these three modes. The prominence of some
certain mode of nature is manifested in one's dealings, in his activities,
in eating, etc. All this will be explained in later chapters. But if one
wants, he can develop, by practice, the mode of goodness and thus defeat
the modes of ignorance and passion. One can similarly develop the mode of
passion and defeat goodness and ignorance. Or one can develop the mode of
ignorance and defeat goodness and passion. Although there are these three
modes of material nature, if one is determined he can be blessed by the
mode of goodness, and by transcending the mode of goodness he can be
situated in pure goodness, which is called the vasudeva state, a
state in which one can understand the science of God. By the manifestation
of particular activities, it can be understood in what mode of nature one
is situated.
TEXT 11
sarva-dvaresu dehe 'smin
prakasa upajayate
jnanam yada tada vidyad
vivrddham sattvam ity uta
WORD FOR WORD
sarva-dvaresu -- in all the gates; dehe asmin -- in this
body; prakasah -- the quality of illumination; upajayate --
develops; jnanam -- knowledge; yada -- when; tada --
at that time; vidyat -- know; vivrddham -- increased;
sattvam -- the mode of goodness; iti uta -- thus it is said.
TRANSLATION
The manifestations of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the
gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.
PURPORT
There are nine gates in the body: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the
mouth, the genitals and the anus. When every gate is illuminated by the
symptoms of goodness, it should be understood that one has developed the
mode of goodness. In the mode of goodness, one can see things in the right
position, one can hear things in the right position, and one can taste
things in the right position. One becomes cleansed inside and outside. In
every gate there is development of the symptoms of happiness, and that is
the position of goodness.
TEXT 12
lobhah pravrttir arambhah
karmanam asamah sprha
rajasy etanijayante
vivrddhe bharatarsabha
WORD FOR WORD
lobhah -- greed; pravrttih -- activity; arambhah --
endeavor; karmanam -- in activities; asamah --
uncontrollable; sprha -- desire; rajasi -- of the mode of
passion; etani -- all these; jayante -- develop;
vivrddhe -- when there is an excess; bharata-rsabha -- O
chief of the descendants of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
O chief of the Bharatas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion
the symptoms of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and
uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.
PURPORT
One in the mode of passion is never satisfied with the position he has
already acquired; he hankers to increase his position. If he wants to
construct a residential house, he tries his best to have a palatial house,
as if he would be able to reside in that house eternally. And he develops
a great hankering for sense gratification. There is no end to sense
gratification. He always wants to remain with his family and in his house
and to continue the process of sense gratification. There is no cessation
of this. All these symptoms should be understood as characteristic of the
mode of passion.
TEXT 13
aprakaso 'pravrttis ca
pramado moha eva ca
tamasy etanijayante
vivrddhe kuru-nandana
WORD FOR WORD
aprakasah -- darkness; apravrttih -- inactivity; ca
-- and; pramadah -- madness; mohah -- illusion; eva
-- certainly; ca -- also; tamasi -- the mode of ignorance;
etani -- these; jayante -- are manifested; vivrddhe
-- when developed; kuru-nandana -- O son of Kuru.
TRANSLATION
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru,
darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
PURPORT
When there is no illumination, knowledge is absent. One in the mode of
ignorance does not work by a regulative principle; he wants to act
whimsically, for no purpose. Even though he has the capacity to work, he
makes no endeavor. This is called illusion. Although consciousness is
going on, life is inactive. These are the symptoms of one in the mode of
ignorance.
TEXT 14
yada sattve pravrddhe tu
pralayam yati deha-bhrt
tadottama-vidam lokan
amalan pratipadyate
WORD FOR WORD
yada -- when; sattve -- the mode of goodness;
pravrddhe -- developed; tu -- but; pralayam --
dissolution; yati -- goes; deha-bhrt -- the embodied;
tada -- at that time; uttama-vidam -- of the great sages;
lokan -- the planets; amalan -- pure; pratipadyate --
attains.
TRANSLATION
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher
planets of the great sages.
PURPORT
One in goodness attains higher planetary systems, like Brahmaloka or
Janoloka, and there enjoys godly happiness. The word amalan is
significant; it means "free from the modes of passion and ignorance."
There are impurities in the material world, but the mode of goodness is
the purest form of existence in the material world. There are different
kinds of planets for different kinds of living entities. Those who die in
the mode of goodness are elevated to the planets where great sages and
great devotees live.
TEXT 15
rajasi pralayam gatva
karma-sangisu jayate
tatha pralinas tamasi
mudha-yonisu jayate
WORD FOR WORD
rajasi -- in passion; pralayam -- dissolution; gatva
-- attaining; karma-sangisu -- in the association of those engaged
in fruitive activities; jayate -- takes birth; tatha --
similarly; pralinah -- being dissolved; tamasi -- in
ignorance; mudha-yonisu -- in animal species; jayate --
takes birth.
TRANSLATION
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged
in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he
takes birth in the animal kingdom.
PURPORT
Some people have the impression that when the soul reaches the platform of
human life it never goes down again. This is incorrect. According to this
verse, if one develops the mode of ignorance, after his death he is
degraded to an animal form of life. From there one has to again elevate
himself, by an evolutionary process, to come again to the human form of
life. Therefore, those who are actually serious about human life should
take to the mode of goodness and in good association transcend the modes
and become situated in Krishna consciousness. This is the aim of human
life. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the human being will again
attain to the human status.
TEXT 16
karmanah sukrtasyahuh
sattvikam nirmalam phalam
rajasas tu phalam duhkham
ajnanam tamasah phalam
WORD FOR WORD
karmanah -- of work; su-krtasya -- pious; ahuh -- is
said; sattvikam -- in the mode of goodness; nirmalam --
purified; phalam -- the result; rajasah -- of the mode of
passion; tu -- but; phalam -- the result; duhkham --
misery; ajnanam -- nonsense; tamasah -- of the mode of
ignorance; phalam -- the result.
TRANSLATION
The result of pious action is pure and is said to be in the mode of
goodness. But action done in the mode of passion results in misery, and
action performed in the mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
PURPORT
The result of pious activities in the mode of goodness is pure. Therefore
the sages, who are free from all illusion, are situated in happiness. But
activities in the mode of passion are simply miserable. Any activity for
material happiness is bound to be defeated. If, for example, one wants to
have a skyscraper, so much human misery has to be undergone before a big
skyscraper can be built. The financier has to take much trouble to earn a
mass of wealth, and those who are slaving to construct the building have
to render physical toil. The miseries are there. Thus Bhagavad-gita
says that in any activity performed under the spell of the mode of
passion, there is definitely great misery. There may be a little so-called
mental happiness -- "I have this house or this money" -- but this is not
actual happiness.
As far as the mode of ignorance is concerned, the performer is without
knowledge, and therefore all his activities result in present misery, and
afterwards he will go on toward animal life. Animal life is always
miserable, although, under the spell of the illusory energy, maya,
the animals do not understand this. Slaughtering poor animals is also due
to the mode of ignorance. The animal killers do not know that in the
future the animal will have a body suitable to kill them. That is the law
of nature. In human society, if one kills a man he has to be hanged. That
is the law of the state. Because of ignorance, people do not perceive that
there is a complete state controlled by the Supreme Lord. Every living
creature is a son of the Supreme Lord, and He does not tolerate even an
ant's being killed. One has to pay for it. So indulgence in animal killing
for the taste of the tongue is the grossest kind of ignorance. A human
being has no need to kill animals, because God has supplied so many nice
things. If one indulges in meat-eating anyway, it is to be understood that
he is acting in ignorance and is making his future very dark. Of all kinds
of animal killing, the killing of cows is most vicious because the cow
gives us all kinds of pleasure by supplying milk. Cow slaughter is an act
of the grossest type of ignorance. In the Vedic literature (Rg Veda
9.4.64) the words gobhih prinita-matsaram indicate that one who,
being fully satisfied by milk, is desirous of killing the cow is in the
grossest ignorance. There is also a prayer in the Vedic literature that
states:
namo brahmanya-devaya
go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
govindaya namo namah
"My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas,
and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world."
(Vishnu Purana 1.19.65) The purport is that special mention is given
in that prayer for the protection of the cows and the brahmanas.
Brahmanas are the symbol of spiritual education, and cows are the
symbol of the most valuable food; these two living creatures, the
brahmanas and the cows, must be given all protection -- that is
real advancement of civilization. In modern human society, spiritual
knowledge is neglected, and cow killing is encouraged. It is to be
understood, then, that human society is advancing in the wrong direction
and is clearing the path to its own condemnation. A civilization which
guides the citizens to become animals in their next lives is certainly not
a human civilization. The present human civilization is, of course,
grossly misled by the modes of passion and ignorance. It is a very
dangerous age, and all nations should take care to provide the easiest
process, Krishna consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger.
TEXT 17
sattvat sanjayate jnanam
rajaso lobha eva ca
pramada-mohau tamaso
bhavato 'jnanam eva ca
WORD FOR WORD
sattvat -- from the mode of goodness; sanjayate -- develops;
jnanam -- knowledge; rajasah -- from the mode of passion;
lobhah -- greed; eva -- certainly; ca -- also;
pramada -- madness; mohau -- and illusion; tamasah --
from the mode of ignorance; bhavatah -- develop; ajnanam --
nonsense; eva -- certainly; ca -- also.
TRANSLATION
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of
passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop
foolishness, madness and illusion.
PURPORT
Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living
entities, Krishna consciousness is recommended. Through Krishna
consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of
goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. In the mode of
ignorance, people are just like animals and cannot see things clearly. In
the mode of ignorance, for example, they do not see that by killing one
animal they are taking the chance of being killed by the same animal in
the next life. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they
become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for
developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there.
When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become
sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will be happy
and prosperous. Even if the majority of the people aren't happy and
prosperous, if a certain percentage of the population develops Krishna
consciousness and becomes situated in the mode of goodness, then there is
the possibility for peace and prosperity all over the world. Otherwise, if
the world is devoted to the modes of passion and ignorance, there can be
no peace or prosperity. In the mode of passion, people become greedy, and
their hankering for sense enjoyment has no limit. One can see that even if
one has enough money and adequate arrangements for sense gratification,
there is neither happiness nor peace of mind. That is not possible,
because one is situated in the mode of passion. If one wants happiness at
all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of
goodness by practicing Krishna consciousness. When one is engaged in the
mode of passion, not only is he mentally unhappy, but his profession and
occupation are also very troublesome. He has to devise so many plans and
schemes to acquire enough money to maintain his status quo. This is all
miserable. In the mode of ignorance, people become mad. Being distressed
by their circumstances, they take shelter of intoxication, and thus they
sink further into ignorance. Their future in life is very dark.
TEXT 18
urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
WORD FOR WORD
urdhvam -- upwards; gacchanti -- go; sattva-sthah --
those situated in the mode of goodness; madhye -- in the middle;
tisthanti -- dwell; rajasah -- those situated in the mode of
passion; jaghanya -- of abominable; guna -- quality;
vrtti-sthah -- whose occupation; adhah -- down;
gacchanti -- go; tamasah -- persons in the mode of
ignorance.
TRANSLATION
Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher
planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and
those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
PURPORT
In this verse the results of actions in the three modes of nature are more
explicitly set forth. There is an upper planetary system, consisting of
the heavenly planets, where everyone is highly elevated. According to the
degree of development of the mode of goodness, the living entity can be
transferred to various planets in this system. The highest planet is
Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka, where the prime person of this universe, Lord
Brahma, resides. We have seen already that we can hardly calculate the
wondrous condition of life in Brahmaloka, but the highest condition of
life, the mode of goodness, can bring us to this.
The mode of passion is mixed. It is in the middle, between the modes of
goodness and ignorance. A person is not always pure, but even if he should
be purely in the mode of passion, he will simply remain on this earth as a
king or a rich man. But because there are mixtures, one can also go down.
People on this earth, in the mode of passion or ignorance, cannot forcibly
approach the higher planets by machine. In the mode of passion, there is
also the chance of becoming mad in the next life.
The lowest quality, the mode of ignorance, is described here as
abominable. The result of developing ignorance is very, very risky. It is
the lowest quality in material nature. Beneath the human level there are
eight million species of life -- birds, beasts, reptiles, trees, etc. --
and according to the development of the mode of ignorance, people are
brought down to these abominable conditions. The word tamasah is
very significant here. Tamasah indicates those who stay
continuously in the mode of ignorance without rising to a higher mode.
Their future is very dark.
There is an opportunity for men in the modes of ignorance and passion to
be elevated to the mode of goodness, and that system is called Krishna
consciousness. But one who does not take advantage of this opportunity will
certainly continue in the lower modes.
TEXT 19
nanyam gunebhyah kartaram
yada drastanupasyati
gunebhyas ca param vetti
mad-bhavam so 'dhigacchati
WORD FOR WORD
na -- no; anyam -- other; gunebhyah -- than the
qualities; kartaram -- performer; yada -- when;
drasta -- a seer; anupasyati -- sees properly;
gunebhyah -- to the modes of nature; ca -- and; param
-- transcendental; vetti -- knows; mat-bhavam -- to My
spiritual nature; sah -- he; adhigacchati -- is promoted.
TRANSLATION
When one properly sees that in all activities no other performer is at
work than these modes of nature and he knows the Supreme Lord, who is
transcendental to all these modes, he attains My spiritual nature.
PURPORT
One can transcend all the activities of the modes of material nature
simply by understanding them properly by learning from the proper souls.
The real spiritual master is Krishna, and He is imparting this spiritual
knowledge to Arjuna. Similarly, it is from those who are fully in Krishna
consciousness that one has to learn this science of activities in terms of
the modes of nature. Otherwise, one's life will be misdirected. By the
instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, a living entity can know of
his spiritual position, his material body, his senses, how he is
entrapped, and how he is under the spell of the material modes of nature.
He is helpless, being in the grip of these modes, but when he can see his
real position, then he can attain to the transcendental platform, having
the scope for spiritual life. Actually, the living entity is not the
performer of different activities. He is forced to act because he is
situated in a particular type of body, conducted by some particular mode
of material nature. Unless one has the help of spiritual authority, he
cannot understand in what position he is actually situated. With the
association of a bona fide spiritual master, he can see his real position,
and by such an understanding he can become fixed in full Krishna
consciousness. A man in Krishna consciousness is not controlled by the
spell of the material modes of nature. It has already been stated in the
Seventh Chapter that one who has surrendered to Krishna is relieved from
the activities of material nature. For one who is able to see things as
they are, the influence of material nature gradually ceases.
TEXT 20
gunan etan atitya trin
dehi deha-samudbhavan
janma-mrtyu jara-duhkhair
vimukto 'mrtam asnute
WORD FOR WORD
gunan -- qualities; etan -- all these; atitya --
transcending; trin -- three; dehi -- the embodied;
deha -- the body; samudbhavan -- produced of; janma
-- of birth; mrtyu -- death; jara -- and old age;
duhkhaih -- the distresses; vimuktah -- being freed from;
amrtam -- nectar; asnute -- he enjoys.
TRANSLATION
When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes associated
with the material body, he can become free from birth, death, old age and
their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life.
PURPORT
How one can stay in the transcendental position, even in this body, in
full Krishna consciousness, is explained in this verse. The Sanskrit word
dehi means "embodied." Although one is within this material body,
by his advancement in spiritual knowledge he can be free from the
influence of the modes of nature. He can enjoy the happiness of spiritual
life even in this body because, after leaving this body, he is certainly
going to the spiritual sky. But even in this body he can enjoy spiritual
happiness. In other words, devotional service in Krishna consciousness is
the sign of liberation from material entanglement, and this will be
explained in the Eighteenth Chapter. When one is freed from the influence
of the modes of material nature, he enters into devotional service.
TEXT 21
arjuna uvaca
kair lingais trin gunan etan
atito bhavati prabho
kim acarah katham caitams
trin gunan ativartate
WORD FOR WORD
arjunah uvaca -- Arjuna said; kaih -- by which;
lingaih -- symptoms; trin -- three; gunan --
qualities; etan -- all these; atitah -- having transcended;
bhavati -- is; prabho -- O my Lord; kim -- what;
acarah -- behavior; katham -- how; ca -- also;
etan -- these; trin -- three; gunan -- qualities;
ativartate -- transcends.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is
transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he
transcend the modes of nature?
PURPORT
In this verse, Arjuna's questions are very appropriate. He wants to know
the symptoms of a person who has already transcended the material modes.
He first inquires of the symptoms of such a transcendental person. How can
one understand that he has already transcended the influence of the modes
of material nature? The second question asks how he lives and what his
activities are. Are they regulated or nonregulated? Then Arjuna inquires
of the means by which he can attain the transcendental nature. That is
very important. Unless one knows the direct means by which one can be
situated always transcendentally, there is no possibility of showing the
symptoms. So all these questions put by Arjuna are very important, and the
Lord answers them.
TEXTS 22-25
sri-bhagavan uvaca
prakasam ca pravrttim ca
moham eva ca pandava
na dvesti sampravrttani
na nivrttani kanksati
udasina-vad asino
gunair yo na vicalyate
guna vartanta ity evam
yo 'vatisthati nengate
sama-duhkha-sukhah sva-sthah
sama-lostasma-kancanah
tulya-priyapriyo dhiras
tulya-nindatma-samstutih
manapamanayos tulyas
tulyo mitrari-paksayoh
sarvarambha-parityagi
gunatitah sa ucyate
WORD FOR WORD
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
prakasam -- illumination; ca -- and; pravrttim --
attachment; ca -- and; moham -- illusion; eva ca --
also; pandava -- O son of Pandu; na dvesti -- does not hate;
sampravrttani -- although developed; na nivrttani -- nor
stopping development; kanksati -- desires; udasina-vat -- as
if neutral; asinah -- situated; gunaih -- by the qualities;
yah -- one who; na -- never; vicalyate -- is
agitated; gunah -- the qualities; vartante -- are acting;
iti evam -- knowing thus; yah -- one who; avatisthati
-- remains; na -- never; ingate -- flickers; sama --
equal; duhkha -- in distress; sukhah -- and happiness;
sva-sthah -- being situated in himself; sama -- equally;
losta -- a lump of earth; asma -- stone; kancanah --
gold; tulya -- equally disposed; priya -- to the dear;
apriyah -- and the undesirable; dhirah -- steady;
tulya -- equal; ninda -- in defamation;
atma-samstutih -- and praise of himself; mana -- in honor;
apamanayoh -- and dishonor; tulyah -- equal; tuiyah
-- equal; mitra -- of friends; ari -- and enemies;
paksayoh -- to the parties; sarva -- of all; arambha
-- endeavors; parityagi -- renouncer; guna-atitah --
transcendental to the material modes of nature; sah -- he;
ucyate -- is said to be.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pandu, 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
toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally
well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; 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.
PURPORT
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.
When a living entity stays in this material world embodied by the material
body, it is to be understood that he is under the control of one of the
three modes of material nature. When he is actually out of the body, then
he is out of the clutches of the material modes of nature. But as long as
he is not out of the material body, he should be neutral. He should engage
himself in the devotional service of the Lord so that his identity with
the material body will automatically be forgotten. When one is conscious
of the material body, he acts only for sense gratification, but when one
transfers the consciousness to Krishna, sense gratification automatically
stops. One does not need this material body, and he does not need to
accept the dictations of the material body. The qualities of the material
modes in the body will act, but as spirit soul the self is aloof from such
activities. How does he become aloof? He does not desire to enjoy the
body, nor does he desire to get out of it. Thus transcendentally situated,
the devotee becomes automatically free. He need not try to become free
from the influence of the modes of material nature.
The next question concerns the dealings of a transcendentally situated
person. The materially situated person is affected by so-called honor and
dishonor offered to the body, but the transcendentally situated person is
not affected by such false honor and dishonor. He performs his duty in
Krishna consciousness and does not mind whether a man honors or dishonors
him. He accepts things that are favorable for his duty in Krishna
consciousness, otherwise he has no necessity of anything material, either
a stone or gold. He takes everyone as his dear friend who helps him in his
execution of Krishna consciousness, and he does not hate his so-called
enemy. 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. Social and political issues do not affect him, because he knows
the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances. He does not attempt
anything for his own sake. He can attempt anything for Krishna, but for
his personal self he does not attempt anything. By such behavior one
becomes actually transcendentally situated.
TEXT 26
mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
WORD FOR WORD
mam -- unto Me; ca -- also; yah -- a person who;
avyabhicarena -- without fail; bhakti-yogena -- by
devotional service; sevate -- renders service; sah -- he;
gunan -- the modes of material nature; samatitya --
transcending; etan -- all these; brahma-bhuyaya -- elevated
to the Brahman platform; kalpate -- becomes.
TRANSLATION
One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all
circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus
comes to the level of Brahman.
PURPORT
This verse is a reply to Arjuna's third question: What is the means of
attaining to the transcendental position? As explained before, the
material world is acting under the spell of the modes of material nature.
One should not be disturbed by the activities of the modes of nature;
instead of putting his consciousness into such activities, he may transfer
his consciousness to Krishna activities. Krishna activities are known as
bhakti-yoga -- always acting for Krishna. This includes not only
Krishna, but His different plenary expansions such as Rama and Narayana.
He has innumerable expansions. One who is engaged in the service of any of
the forms of Krishna, or of His plenary expansions, is considered to be
transcendentally situated. One should also note that all the forms of
Krishna are fully transcendental, blissful, full of knowledge and eternal.
Such personalities of Godhead are omnipotent and omniscient, and they
possess all transcendental qualities. So if one engages himself in the
service of Krishna or His plenary expansions with unfailing determination,
although these modes of material nature are very difficult to overcome,
one can overcome them easily. This has already been explained in the
Seventh Chapter. One who surrenders unto Krishna at once surmounts the
influence of the modes of material nature. To be in Krishna consciousness
or in devotional service means to acquire equality with Krishna. The Lord
says that His nature is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and the
living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme, as gold particles are
part of a gold mine. Thus the living entity, in his spiritual position, is
as good as gold, as good as Krishna in quality. The difference of
individuality continues, otherwise there would be no question of
bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means that the Lord is there, the devotee
is there and the activity of exchange of love between the Lord and the
devotee is there. Therefore the individuality of two persons is present in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual person, otherwise
there would be no meaning to bhakti-yoga. If one is not situated in
the same transcendental position with the Lord, one cannot serve the
Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one must acquire the
qualifications. Thus the qualification is to become Brahman, or freed from
all material contamination. It is said in the Vedic literature,
brahmaiva san brahmapy eti. One can attain the Supreme Brahman by
becoming Brahman. This means that one must qualitatively become one with
Brahman. By attainment of Brahman, one does not lose his eternal Brahman
identity as an individual soul.
TEXT 27
brahmano hi pratisthaham
amrtasyavyayasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikantikasya ca
WORD FOR WORD
brahmanah -- of the impersonal brahmajyoti; hi -- certainly;
pratistha -- the rest; aham -- I am; amrtasya -- of
the immortal; avyayasya -- of the imperishable; ca -- also;
sasvatasya -- of the eternal; ca -- and; dharmasya --
of the constitutional position; sukhasya -- of happiness;
aikantikasya -- ultimate; ca -- also.
TRANSLATION
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal,
imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate
happiness.
PURPORT
The constitution of Brahman is immortality, imperishability, eternity, and
happiness. Brahman is the beginning of transcendental realization.
Paramatma, the Supersoul, is the middle, the second stage in
transcendental realization, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the
ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, both Paramatma and
the impersonal Brahman are within the Supreme Person. It is explained in
the Seventh Chapter that material nature is the manifestation of the
inferior energy of the Supreme Lord. The Lord impregnates the inferior,
material nature with fragments of the superior nature, and that is the
spiritual touch in the material nature. When a living entity conditioned
by this material nature begins the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, he
elevates himself from the position of material existence and gradually
rises up to the Brahman conception of the Supreme. This attainment of the
Brahman conception of life is the first stage in self-realization. At this
stage the Brahman-realized person is transcendental to the material
position, but he is not actually perfect in Brahman realization. If he
wants, he can continue to stay in the Brahman position and then gradually
rise up to Paramatma realization and then to the realization of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many examples of this in Vedic
literature. The four Kumaras were situated first in the impersonal Brahman
conception of truth, but then they gradually rose to the platform of
devotional service. One who cannot elevate himself beyond the impersonal
conception of Brahman runs the risk of falling down. In
Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that although a person may rise to
the stage of impersonal Brahman, without going further, with no
information of the Supreme Person, his intelligence is not perfectly
clear. Therefore, in spite of being raised to the Brahman platform, there
is the chance of falling down if one is not engaged in the devotional
service of the Lord. In the Vedic language it is also said, raso vai
sah, rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati: "When one understands the
Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of pleasure, Krishna, he actually
becomes transcendentally blissful." (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.7.1) The
Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, and when a devotee approaches Him
there is an exchange of these six opulences. The servant of the king
enjoys on an almost equal level with the king. And so eternal happiness,
imperishable happiness, and eternal life accompany devotional service.
Therefore, realization of Brahman, or eternity, or imperishability, is
included in devotional service. This is already possessed by a person who
is engaged in devotional service.
The living entity, although Brahman by nature, has the desire to lord it
over the material world, and due to this he falls down. In his
constitutional position, a living entity is above the three modes of
material nature, but association with material nature entangles him in the
different modes of material nature -- goodness, passion and ignorance. Due
to the association of these three modes, his desire to dominate the
material world is there. By engagement in devotional service in full
Krishna consciousness, he is immediately situated in the transcendental
position, and his unlawful desire to control material nature is removed.
Therefore the process of devotional service, beginning with hearing,
chanting, remembering -- the prescribed nine methods for realizing
devotional service -- should be practiced in the association of devotees.
Gradually, by such association, by the influence of the spiritual master,
one's material desire to dominate is removed, and one becomes firmly
situated in the Lord's transcendental loving service. This method is
prescribed from the twenty-second to the last verse of this chapter.
Devotional service to the Lord is very simple: one should always engage in
the service of the Lord, should eat the remnants of foodstuffs offered to
the Deity, smell the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, see
the places where the Lord had His transcendental pastimes, read of the
different activities of the Lord, His reciprocation of love with His
devotees, chant always the transcendental vibration Hare Krishna, Hare
Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare
Hare, and observe the fasting days commemorating the appearances and
disappearances of the Lord and His devotees. By following such a process
one becomes completely detached from all material activities. One who can
thus situate himself in the brahma-jyoti or the different varieties
of the Brahman conception is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
in quality.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourteenth Chapter of the
Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of the Three Modes of Material
Nature.
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