Chapter 14 : Gun-tray Vibhag Yog
1
The Supreme
Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme
wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained
the supreme perfection.
2
By becoming
fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature like
My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation or disturbed
at the time of dissolution.
3
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.
4
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.
5
Material nature
consists of three modes -- goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal
living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes
conditioned by these modes.
6
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
become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
7
The mode of
passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and
because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive
actions.
8
O son of Bharata,
know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all
embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence
and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
9
O son of Bharata,
the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness; passion conditions one
to fruitive action; and ignorance, covering one's knowledge, binds one
to madness.
10
Sometimes
the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes of passion
and ignorance, O son of Bharata. Sometimes the mode of passion defeats
goodness and ignorance, and at other times ignorance defeats goodness and
passion. In this way there is always competition for supremacy.
11
The manifestations
of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body
are illuminated by knowledge.
12
O chief of
the Bharatas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion the symptoms
of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and uncontrollable
desire and hankering develop.
13
When there
is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia,
madness and illusion are manifested.
14
When one dies
in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great
sages.
15
When one dies
in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive
activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth
in the animal kingdom.
16
The result
of pious action is pure and is said to be in the mode of goodness. But
action done in the mode of passion results in misery, and action performed
in the mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
17
From the mode
of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops;
and from the mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness and illusion.
18
Those situated
in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those
in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable
mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
19
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.
20
When the embodied
being is able to transcend these three modes associated with the material
body, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses
and can enjoy nectar even in this life.
21
Arjuna inquired:
O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is transcendental to
these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the
modes of nature?
22-25
The Supreme
Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pandu, he who does not hate illumination,
attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they
disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions
of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing
that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards
alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and
a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and
the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame,
honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has
renounced all material activities -- such a person is said to have transcended
the modes of nature.
26
One who engages
in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends
the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.
27
And I am the
basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal
and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.
Gun-tray Vibhag Yog |