Chapter 14, Verse 13 (Bhagavad Gita 14.13)
Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature
Sanskrit Shloka
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन
Transliteration
aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana
Word Meanings
aprakāśhaḥ—nescience; apravṛittiḥ—inertia; cha—and; pramādaḥ—negligence; mohaḥ—delusion; eva—indeed; cha—also; tamasi—mode of ignorance; etāni—these; jāyante—manifest; vivṛiddhe—when dominates; kuru-nandana—the joy of the Kurus, Arjun
Translation
Lord Krishna says: 'Darkness, inertia, negligence, and delusion—these occur when the mode of ignorance (Tamas) is predominant, O descendant of Kuru.'
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Bhagwan Shri Krishna illuminates the nature of the lowest guna, Tamas, which obscures the soul’s divine consciousness. By defining the characteristics of ignorance, the Supreme Lord warns the seeker that succumbing to such states leads to a spiritual slumber that veils the eternal truth. Krishna, as the source of all light, invites humanity to transcend this darkness by anchoring the mind in His transcendental nature. Through this wisdom, the devotee learns to recognize the traps of lethargy and delusion, thereby purifying the intellect to prepare for ultimate liberation. Only by surrendering to the divine guidance of Shri Krishna can the soul emerge from the shadows of ignorance into the radiance of His eternal grace.