The Bhagavad Gita

Chapter Fourteen

YOGA OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THREE GUNAS

GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA YOGA

By

Dr. R. J. Kalpana Ph.D

Visvaayudha November 2025

vasudevasutaḿ devaḿ kaḿsa-cāṇūra-mardanam

devakī-paramānandaḿ kṛṣṇaḿ vande jagadgurum

I bow down to Sri Krishna, who is the Master of the Universe, beloved son of Vasudeva, who vanquished Kamsa and Chanura, who brings immense joy to his mother, Devaki.

Pranams from Dr. R J Kalpana, Welcome to the study of The Bhagavad Gita.

This chapter is very important for understanding of the individual self and character and where we are placed in the spiritual evolutionary scale and how best to improve ourselves so we can fast-track our progress.

Shri Bhagvan once more for our own benefit and for the fact that often times we need to be repeatedly told what is good for ourselves and therefore, repeats the supreme wisdom acquiring which the sages have attained perfection. Having implemented and followed this wisdom strictures deeply, such souls are neither born at the time of cosmic dawn nor are they disturbed at the time of the cosmic night, that is the dissolution.

In the next two slokas, Shri Bhagvan expounds that the world emanates from Prakriti and Purusha. The Primordial Nature is the womb and the Divine seeds that womb and thus creation emanates from the union of matter and energy.

Of all embodied beings that appear, Prakriti or Nature is the mother and the Divine is the seed giving father.

Now, the three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas are born out of Prakriti and are responsible for keeping the imperishable soul to the perishable body. Sattva is immaculate and illuminating and it binds the soul to matter through knowledge and happiness. Rajas quality is that of passion and binds the soul to matter through attachment and desire. Tamas is born of ignorance and binds the soul to matter through laziness and error.

When Sattva predominates, it thwarts Rajas and Tamas and floods the mind with illumination and enters into a state of tranquility. When Rajas predominates, body and mind is seized with restlessness and greed and craving for enjoyment. When Tamas predominates, dullness prevails in the body and mind.

If a man dies when Sattva quality is predominant, then the soul attains the celestial worlds like heaven which are attained by men of noble deeds. If a man dies when Rajas quality is predominant, then the soul is reborn again amongst those who are prone to action. If a man dies when Tamas quality is predominant, then the soul is born amongst the species of mindless creatures like insects.

Actions that are born out of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas yields results in the form of happiness, sorrow and ignorance respectively; since each Guna is motivated accordingly; Sattva by wisdom, Rajas by greed and ignorance by Tamas.

Those whose nature is Sattvika will eventually have the means to ascend to the higher celestial regions. Those whose nature is Rajasika will be reborn in the world as human beings. Those whose nature is Tamasika will be born into the lower species of insects and animals.

In chapter 13 KshetraKshetrajna Yoga  – The Yoga of difference between the Field and the Knower of the Field sloka 21, contact with the Gunas is declared to be responsible for the one’s birth in conducive or nonconductive environments for one’s spiritual evolution.

When the seer perceives the difference between doer and observer and the witness; then the progressive nature of his spiritual journey culminates because he moves from being conscious of his role as a doer to that of a disinterested observer and finally to the stage of a mute witness.

Having heard Shri Bhagvan elucidate at great length, Arjuna beautifully asks a most pertinent question: how do we distinguish those who have risen above the three Gunas and what manner is his conduct by which he conducts his worldly affairs?

Shri Bhagvan answers that when lightness and purity pervades a being there wisdom and tranquility prevails and as does light and illumination and when that light too disappears, those born of Sattva are not perturbed by the light, by activity or stupor or by the lack of it.

He who maintains a state of indifference and remains established in constant remembrance of the Divine is not disturbed by the Gunas. Such a person is established in the Divine treats pain and pleasure alike, regards a clod of earth, stone and gold as equal in value and views flattery and criticism the same.

He entertains no friendship nor enmity towards anyone, who treats honour and ignominy as alike and has renounced the sense of doership in all undertakings is said to have risen above the three Gunas.

Transcending the Gunas, he who through the yoga of devotion exclusively devotes himself to the Divine is eligible to attain the Divine.

For I am the immutable, infinite eternal Dharma!

yogeśaṁ(m) saccidānandaṁ(v̐), vāsudevaṁ(v̐) vrajapriyam,

dharmasaṁsthāpakaṁ(v̐) vīraṁ(ṅ), kṛṣṇaṁ(v̐) vande jagadgurum

I bow to the Master of Yoga, who is the beloved son of Vasudeva, the brave warrior who established Dharma, the spiritual guru of the world.

                                             OM ŚRĪKṚṢṆĀRPAṆAMASTU

Note: The talks can be accessed on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@kalpanarj