भगवद्गीता पर्व — प्रकृतिका तीन गुण

The Great one said “I shall again speak to you that great Science of all Sciences, that excellent Science, knowing which all the Rishis have attained to the highest (and final) emancipation from this body.

Resorting to this great Science, and thus attaining to My Nature, men have no more rebirths, not even at the time of a new Creation. They are not disturbed even at the dissolution of the universe.

The Great Brahma is the womb in which I place the germ. Thence, O Bharata, take place the births of all beings.

Whatever is born, O son of Kunti, of them is Brahma the womb, and I the seed-imparting Sire.

Sattva, Raja and Tama, these three qualities of Nature, O mighty-armed, bind down the Eternal Self in the body of beings.

Amongst the three, Sattva from its untainted nature, from its being enlightening, and as it is free from misery, keeps the Self bound with the attachment of happiness and knowledge.

Raja, having desire for its essence, is born of thirst and attachment; therefore, O son of Kunti, it binds the embodied Self with the attachment of work.

Tama is born of ignorance, and therefore it deludes all embodied selves. O Bharata, it binds the Self with error, indolence, and sleep.

Sattva unites the Self with pleasure, Raja, with work; but O Bharata, Tama, shadowing knowledge, binds Self with error.

Sattva remains if Raja and Tama are repressed. Tame remains if Sattva and Raja are repressed' and, Oh Bharata, Raja remains if Tama and Sattva are repressed.

When in this body knowledge pervades all, then should one know that Sattva has been developed.

When, O chief of Bharata's race, avarice, activity, fondness of works, want of tranquility, and desire, are born in this body, then should one know that Raja has been developed.

When, O son of the Kuru race gloom, inactivity, error, and delusion, are born in this body, then should one know that Tama has been developed.

When a man dies when his Sattva is developed, he goes to the sinless region of those that know the supreme.

Dying, when Raja prevails, he goes among those who are attached to works. Dying in Tama he is born in the womb that produces ignorant men.

The fruit of Sattva is good and untainted; the fruit of Raja is misery, and that of Tama is ignorance.

From Sattva is produced knowledge from Raja avarice, and from Tama error, delusion and ignorance.

Those that live in Sattva go on high those that are addicted to Raja live in the middle; and those that are of Tama, having the lowest quality, go down.

When an observing man comes to know these three qualities to be the only agents of all works, and recognize him who is beyond all qualities, he then attains to My Nature.

The embodied self (man) by transcending three qualities, which are the source of all bodies, attains immortality, being freed from birth, death, old age, decay and misery."

Arjuna said What are the characteristic, O Lord, of that man who has transcended the three qualities? What is his conduct? How can a man transcend these three qualities?

The great One said He who has no aversion for knowledge, work or ignorance (the results of the three qualities) when they are present, and he who does not desire them when they are absent, has transcended the three qualities.

He, who remains all unconcerned, being not shaken by the three qualities who sits and moves not, thinking that it is the qualities and not he, who is engaged in their functions, has transcended the three qualities.

He, to whom pain and pleasure are alike who is self-restrained, to whom a sod of earth, a stone, a piece of gold, are all alike; to whom agreeable and the disagreeable are the same, to whom praise and censure are alike, has transcended the three qualities.

He, to whom honour and dishonour are same, to whom friends and foes are alike; who has discernment, and who has renounced all self-exertion, has transcended the three qualities.

He who worships Me with exclusive devotion, transcends the three qualities and becomes fit for admission into the nature of Brahma.

For, I am the embodiment of Brahma, of immortality, of imperishability, of eternal piety and ever-continuing felicity.