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Chapter 14 · The Three Modes of Material Nature · 27 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Nature & guṇasChapter 14 · The Three Modes of Material Nature
14.1814.20

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 14.19

Seeing and transcending the guṇas

Jīva · The soul

नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।

गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भ‍ावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥ १९ ॥

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ

yadā draṣṭānupaśyati

guṇebhyaś ca paraṁ vetti

mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigacchati

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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Beyond the Modes of Nature

  1. 1

    One who sees that the modes of nature perform all activities and knows the Supreme Lord beyond them attains His spiritual nature.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that a genuine spiritual master helps us understand our spiritual position and become firmly fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  3. 3

    Learn from those fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and surrender to Kṛṣṇa to become free from the modes’ control.

Key points from the purport

Platform of real knowledge

Three modes perform all material activities

Supreme Lord controls all these modes

Further reading

Transcending The Modes

One transcends all the modes by knowing the following two points:

All within this world takes place under the modes

Krishna’s activities are transcendental to the modes

Krishna explains that one can transcend the modes by engaging unfailingly in full devotional service

One will then come to Brahman platform of which Krishna is the source

Chapter 14, section V: Transcending The Modes
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nano
  2. anyamother
  3. guṇebhyaḥthan the qualities
  4. kartāramperformer
  5. yadāwhen
  6. draṣṭāa seer
  7. anupaśyatisees properly
  8. guṇebhyaḥto the modes of nature
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 14.19 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 14.20Seeing and transcending the guṇasBG 14.21Seeing and transcending the guṇasBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā
Live this todaySpiritual Happiness Even NowA practice from BG 14.20, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 4 of 9 · 10 minChapters & storiesGo chapter by chapter, with the Mahābhārata stories that explain what is happening.Back · LearnPrabhupāda's Introduction