Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Three Modes of Material Nature

Bg14.1

TEXT 1

sri-bhagavan uvaca

param bhuyah pravaksyami

jnananam jnanam uttamam

yaj jnatva munayah sarve

param siddhim ito gatah

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—attain.

TRANSLATION

The Blessed Lord said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained to supreme perfection.

PURPORT

From the Seventh Chapter to the end of the Twelfth Chapter, Sri Krsna 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 attain perfection and transfer 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 attain perfection. Thus it is expected that one who understands this Fourteenth Chapter will attain perfection.

Bg14.2

TEXT 2

idam jnanam upasritya

mama sadharmyam agatah

sarge ’pi nopajayante

pralaye na vyathanti ca

idam—this; jnanam—knowledge; upasritya—taking shelter of; mama—My; sadharmyam—nature; agatah—attain; sarge api—even in the creation; na—never; upajayante—comes in; pralaye—in the annihilation; na—nor; vyathanti—disturbed; ca—also.

TRANSLATION

By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature, which is like My own nature. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation nor 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. But 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 that of 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, so, 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 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 the destruction of the material world.

Bg14.3

TEXT 3

mama yonir mahad brahma

tasmin garbham dadhamy aham

sambhavah sarva-bhutanam

tato bhavati bharata

mama—My; yonih—source of birth; mahat—the total material existence; brahma—supreme; tasmin—in that; garbham—pregnancy; dadhami—create; aham—I; sambhavah—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 ksetrajna, 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 because in the total substance of the material cause there are three modes of nature, it 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: tasmad etad brahma nama-rupam annam ca jayate. Into that Brahman the seeds of the living entities are impregnated by the Supreme Person. The twenty-four elements, beginning from earth, water, fire and air, are all material energy, called Maha-brahman, or the great Brahman, the material nature. As is explained in the Seventh Chapter, beyond this there is another, superior nature—the living entity. In 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, and 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.

Bg14.4

TEXT 4

sarva-yonisu kaunteya

murtayah sambhavanti yah

tasam brahma mahad yonir

aham bija-pradah pita

sarva-yonisu—in all species of life; kaunteya—O son of Kunti; murtayah—forms; sambhavanti—as they appear; yah—which; tasam—all of them; brahma—supreme; mahat yonih—the source of birth in the material substance; aham—Myself; bija-pradah—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, Krsna, 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 in every planet, even in 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 Krsna’s seed-giving process. The purport is that the living entities, being impregnated in the material world, come out and form at the time of creation according to their past deeds.

Bg14.5

TEXT 5

sattvam rajas tama iti

gunah prakrti-sambhavah

nibadhnanti maha-baho

dehe dehinam avyayam

sattvam—mode of goodness; rajah—mode of passion; tamah—mode of ignorance; iti—thus; gunah—qualities; prakrti—material nature; sambhavah—produced of; nibadhnanti—does condition; maha-baho—O mighty-armed one; dehe—in this body; dehinam—the living entity; avyayam—eternal.

TRANSLATION

Material nature consists of the three modes—goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, 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.

Bg14.6

TEXT 6

tatra sattvam nirmalatvat

prakasakam anamayam

sukha-sangena badhnati

jnana-sangena canagha

tatra—thereafter; sattvam—mode of goodness; nirmalatvat—being purest in the material world; prakasakam—illuminating; anamayam—without any sinful reachon; sukha—happiness; sangena—association; badhnati—conditions; jnana—knowledge; sangena—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 develop knowledge, but they become conditioned by the concept of happiness.

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 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.

Bg14.7

TEXT 7

rajo ragatmakam viddhi

trsna-sanga-samudbhavam

tan nibadhnati kaunteya

karma-sangena dehinam

rajah—mode of passion; raga-atmakam—born of desire or lust; viddhi—know; trsna—hankering; sanga—association; samudbhavam—produced of; tat—that; nibadhnati—is bound; kaunteya—O son of Kunti; karma-sangena—association with fruitive activity; dehinam—of the embodied.

TRANSLATION

The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this one is bound to material fruitive activities.

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 standards 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 of those who are entangled in the mode of passion?

Bg14.8

TEXT 8

tamas tv ajnana-jam viddhi

mohanam sarva-dehinam

pramadalasya-nidrabhis

tan nibadhnati bharata

tamah—mode of ignorance; tu—but; ajnana-jam—products of ignorance; viddhi—knowing; mohanam—delusion; sarva-dehinam—of all embodied beings; pramada—madness; alasya—indolence; nidrabhih—sleep; tat—that; nibadhnati—binds; bharata—O son of Bharata.

TRANSLATION

O son of Bharata, the mode of ignorance causes the delusion of all living entities. The result of this mode is 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. This 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: under the spell of ignorance, one cannot understand the 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.

Bg14.9

TEXT 9

sattvam sukhe sanjayati

rajah karmani bharata

jnanam avrtya tu tamah

pramade sanjayaty uta

sattvam—mode of goodness; sukhe—in happiness; sanjayati—develops; rajah—mode of passion; karmani—fruits of activities; bharata—O son of Bharata; jnanam—knowledge; avrtya—covering; tu—but; tamah—the mode of ignorance; pramade—in madness; sanjayati—develops; uta—it is said.

TRANSLATION

The mode of goodness conditions one to happiness, passion conditions him to the fruits of action, and ignorance 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 modes of passion and goodness 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 the signs of one in the mode of passion. And the mode of ignorance covers knowledge. In the mode of ignorance, whatever one does is neither good for him nor for anyone.

Bg14.10

TEXT 10

rajas tamas cabhibhuya

sattvam bhavati bharata

rajah sattvam tamas caiva

tamah sattvam rajas tatha

rajah—mode of passion; tamah—mode of ignorance; ca—also; abhibhuya—also surpassing; sattvam—mode of goodness; bhavati—becomes prominent; bharata—O son of Bharata; rajah—mode of passion; sattvam—mode of goodness; tamah—mode of ignorance; ca—also; eva—like that; tamah—mode of ignorance; sattvam—mode of goodness; rajah—mode of passion; tatha—as in this.

TRANSLATION

Sometimes the mode of passion becomes prominent, defeating the mode of goodness, O son of Bharata. And sometimes the mode of goodness defeats passion, and at other times the mode of 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 Krsna 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.

Bg14.11

TEXT 11

sarva-dvaresu dehe ’smin

prakasa upajayate

jnanam yada tada vidyad

vivrddham sattvam ity uta

sarva-dvaresu—all the gates; dehe asmin—in this body; prakasah—quality of illumination; upajayate—develops; jnanam—knowledge; yada—when; tada—at that time; vidyat—must know; vivrddham—increased; sattvam—mode of goodness; iti—thus; uta—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 genital and the anus. In every gate, when the symptom of goodness is illuminated, 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.

Bg14.12

TEXT 12

lobhah pravrttir arambhah

karmanam asamah sprha

rajasy etani jayante

vivrddhe bharatarsabha

lobhah—greed; pravrttih—hankering; arambhah—endeavor; karmanam—of activities; asamah—uncontrollable; sprha—desire; rajasi—in the mode of passion; etani—all this; jayante—develop; vivrddhe—when there is excess; bharatarsabha—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, uncontrollable desire, hankering, and intense endeavor 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.

Bg14.13

TEXT 13

aprakaso ’pravrttis ca

pramado moha eva ca

tamasy etani jayante

vivrddhe kuru-nandana

aprakasah—darkness; apravrttih—inactivity; ca—and; pramadah—madness; mohah—illusion; eva—certainly; ca—also; tamasi—of the mode of ignorance; etani—these; jayante—are manifested; vivrddhe—is developed; kuru-nandana—O son of Kuru.

TRANSLATION

O son of Kuru, when there is an increase in the mode of ignorance madness, illusion, inertia and darkness 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.

Bg14.14

TEXT 14

yada sattve pravrddhe tu

pralayam yati deha-bhrt

tadottama-vidam lokan

amalan pratipadyate

yada—when; sattve—mode of goodness; pravrddhe—in development; tu—but; pralayam—dissolution; yati—goes; deha-bhrt—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.

PURPORT

One in goodness attains higher planetary systems, like Brahmaloka or Janaloka, 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.

Bg14.15

TEXT 15

rajasi pralayam gatva

karma-sangisu jayate

tatha pralinas tamasi

mudha-yonisu jayate

rajasi—in passion; pralayam—dissolution; gatva—attaining; karma-sangisu—in the association of fruitive activities; jayate—takes birth; tatha—thereafter; pralinah—being dissolved; tamasi—in ignorance; mudha—animal; yonisu—species; jayate—take birth.

TRANSLATION

When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when he 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 the animal form of life. From there one has to again elevate himself, by 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 Krsna consciousness. This is the aim of human life. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the human being will again attain to the human status.

Bg14.16

TEXT 16

karmanah sukrtasyahuh

sattvikam nirmalam phalam

rajasas tu phalam duhkham

ajnanam tamasah phalam

karmanah—of work; sukrtasya—in the mode of goodness; ahuh—said; sattvikam—mode of goodness; nirmalam—purified; phalam—result; rajasah—of the mode of passion; tu—but; phalam—result; duhkham—misery; ajnanam—nonsense; tamasah—of the mode of ignorance; phalam—result.

TRANSLATION

By acting in the mode of goodness, one becomes purified. Works done in the mode of passion result in distress, and actions performed in the mode of ignorance result in foolishness.

PURPORT

By pious activities in the mode of goodness one is purified; therefore the sages, who are free from all illusion, are situated in happiness. Similarly, 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 the 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 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
jagaddhitaya 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.” 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, Krsna consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger.

Next verse (Bg14.17)