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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 7.13
त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभि: सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्य: परमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥
tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair
ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti
mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam
Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
The world is bewildered by goodness, passion and ignorance, so it does not know Kṛṣṇa, who is above these modes and never diminished.
Prabhupāda explains that the modes make us identify with temporary bodies and labels, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Seek to become firmly established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is beyond all three modes and brings true liberation.
Explains “Why people do not know and realize Him as the essence of all, if He is everywhere?”
Because they are bewildered by three modes
On the contrary, they think – Krishna is also under modes like me
Real position of Krishna – “Above modes” and “inexhaustible
“Deluded by modes” — It means to identify oneself with a particular type of body and its type of psychological and biological activities – Example: To identify oneself based on Varna, Nation or Community etc.
“Result of delusion”
One forgets Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the modes
They do not understand that behind material nature is Supreme Personality of Godhead
How mode of goodness also deludes — It limits the understanding of the ‘Absolute’ to the impersonal Brahman conception
It conditions one by happiness and knowledge
Who is actually liberated
Only one truly established in Krishna consciousness
Krishna Consciousness is transcendental to three modes
Those who surrender to Krishna (the controller of the modes) will cross beyond the delusion caused by three modes and come to know Him
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 7.13 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?
Observe which mode shaped your last decision.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.