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An Introduction to The Bhagavad Gita

 Chapter 14 - THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE

Lord Krishna said: I shall further explain to you that supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing that all the sages have attained supreme perfection after this life. (14.01)

They who have taken refuge in this transcendental knowledge attain unity with Me; and are neither born at the time of creation, nor afflicted at the time of dissolution. (14.02)

ALL BEINGS ARE BORN FROM THE UNION OF SPIRIT AND MATTER

My material Nature is the womb of creation wherein I place the seed of Consciousness from which all beings are born, O Arjuna. (See also 9.10) (14.03)

Whatever forms are produced in all different wombs, O Arjuna, the material Nature is their body-giving mother; and the Spirit or Consciousness is the life-giving father. (14.04)

HOW THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE BIND THE SPIRIT SOUL TO THE BODY

Goodness, activity, and inertia — these three modes or ropes material Nature fetter the eternal individual soul to the body, O Arjuna. (14.05)

Of these, the mode of goodness is illuminating and good, because it is pure. The mode of goodness fetters the living entity by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless Arjuna. (14.06)

Arjuna, know that the mode of passion is characterized by intense craving for sense gratification, and is the source of material desire and attachment. The mode of passion binds the living entity by attachment to the fruits of work. (14.07)

Know, O Arjuna, that the mode of ignorance ¾ the deluder of living entity ¾ is born of inertia. The mode of ignorance binds living entity by carelessness, laziness, and excessive sleep. (14.08)

O Arjuna, the mode of goodness attaches one to happiness of learning and knowing the Spirit, the mode of passion attaches to action, and the mode of ignorance attaches to negligence by covering the Self-knowledge. (14.09)

CHARACTERISTICS OF THREE MODES OF NATURE

Goodness prevails by suppressing passion and ignorance; passion prevails by suppressing goodness and ignorance; and ignorance prevails by suppressing goodness and passion, O Arjuna. (14.10)

When the light of Self-knowledge glitters all the senses in the body, then it should be known that goodness is predominant. (14.11)

O Arjuna, when passion is predominant; greed, activity, undertaking of selfish works, restlessness, and excitement arise. (14.12)

O Arjuna, when inertia is predominant; ignorance, inactivity, carelessness, and delusion arise. (14.13)

THREE MODES ARE ALSO THE VEHICLES OF TRANSMIGRATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL

One who dies during the dominance of goodness goes to heaven ¾ the pure world of knowers of the Supreme. (14.14)

When one dies during the dominance of passion, one is reborn as attached to action (or the utilitarian type); and dying in ignorance, one is reborn as lower creatures. (14.15)

The fruit of good action is said to be beneficial and pure, the fruit of passionate action is pain, and the fruit of ignorant action is laziness. (14.16)

Self-knowledge arises from mode of goodness; greed arises from mode of passion; and negligence, delusion, and slowness of mind arise from the mode of ignorance. (14.17)

They who are established in goodness go to heaven; passionate persons are reborn in the mortal world; and the insipid ones, abiding in the mode of ignorance, go to lower planets of hell, or take birth as lower creatures depending on the degree of their ignorance. (14.18)

ATTAIN NIRVANA AFTER TRANSCENDING THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE

When visionaries perceive no doer other than the powers of the Supreme Being ¾ the modes of material Nature; and know That which is above and beyond these modes; then they attain Nirvana or salvation. (See also 3.27, 5.09, and 13.29) (14.19)

When one rises above the three modes of material Nature that originate in the body, one attains immortality or salvation, and is freed from the pains of birth, old age, and death. (14.20)

THE PROCESS OF RISING ABOVE THE THREE MODES

Arjuna said: What are the marks of those who have transcended the three modes of material Nature, and what is their conduct? How does one transcend these three modes of material Nature, O Lord Krishna? (14.21)

Lord Krishna said: One who neither hates the presence of enlightenment, activity, and delusion; nor desires for them when they are absent; who remains like a witness without being affected by the modes of material Nature; and stays firmly attached to the Lord without wavering ¾ thinking that the modes of material Nature only are operating. (14.22-23)

The one who depends on the Lord and is indifferent to pain and pleasure; to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are alike; to whom the dear and the unfriendly are alike; who is of firm mind, who is calm in censure and in praise, and the one who is indifferent to honor and disgrace, who is impartial to friend and foe, and who has renounced the sense of doership ¾ is said to have transcended the modes of material Nature. (14.24-25)

BONDS OF THREE MODES CAN BE CUT BY DEVOTIONAL LOVE

The one who offers service to Me with love and unswerving devotion transcends three modes of material Nature, and becomes fit for Nirvana, or salvation. (See also 7.14 and 15.19) (14.26)

Because, I am the basis (or source) of the immortal Spirit, of everlasting cosmic order (Dharma), and of the absolute bliss. (14.27)

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