Chapter 14, Verse 9 (Bhagavad Gita 14.9)
Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature
Sanskrit Shloka
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत
Transliteration
sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta
Word Meanings
sattvam—mode of goodness; sukhe—to happiness; sañjayati—binds; rajaḥ—mode of passion; karmaṇi—toward actions; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; jñānam—wisdom; āvṛitya—clouds; tu—but; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; pramāde—to delusion; sañjayati—binds; uta—indeed
Translation
Sattva binds one to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, verily shrouding knowledge, attaches one to heedlessness.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Lord Krishna explains how the three modes of material nature (Gunas) act as invisible chains binding the eternal soul to the cycle of samsara. Shri Krishna reveals that while Sattva offers a sense of comfort and Rajas drives the ego toward relentless activity, both keep the seeker tethered to worldly identity. Tamas, however, is the most perilous, as it veils the soul’s inherent divine wisdom, leading one into a dark state of inertia and negligence. By teaching Arjuna this, Yogeshwar Krishna invites every soul to transcend these modes entirely, aiming for the state of 'trigunatita' to attain union with the Supreme. Only by surrendering to the grace of Lord Krishna can one break these material attachments and realize the eternal truth of the self.