Translation of Alavandar's Gitarthasangraham, by Diwan Bahadur VK Ramanujachari, published by Andavan Ashram has also been provided below.
THE ESSENCE OF THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER—14TH PAASURAM
The FOURTEENTH Chapter of SrImath Bhagavath GeethA has 27 SlOkams. This chapter is about Division according to the three guNAs.
INTRODUCTION TO THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER:
AchArya RaamAnujA's commentary as translated by Swamy AdhidEvAnandha is as follows:
“It was shown in the 13th Chapter that by knowing the truth concerning the nature of Prakruthi and the Self, which are conjoined with one another, one is freed from bondage by means of Jn~Ana consisting of modesty etc., when favored by devotion to the Lord. And it was also stated that the cause of bondage consists in attachment to pleasure etc., which arises from prior linkage with GuNAs such as SatthvA etc., on the authority of passage like “its attachment to the guNAs is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs” (GeethA: 13.21).
Now, it is proposed to describe how the GuNAs become the cause of bondage and how their old can be removed.
SWAMY ALAVANTHAR'S SUMMARY OF THE 14TH CHAPTER
Guna bandha vidha tesham kartrutvam tanni vartanam I
Gatitrayasva moolatvam chaturdasha udiryate II
गुण बन्ध विध तेषां कर्तृत्वं तन्नि वर्तनम् I
गतित्रयस्व मूलत्वं चतुर्दश उदीर्यते II — 18th slOkam of GeethArTa Sangraham
(MEANING):
“In the fourteenth chapter are explained the various ways in which the guNAs bind the self (JeevAthman), how they (guNAs) are the agents in respect of all works and how the Supreme Person (ParamAthmA) is the basis of all the three ends attainable, namely, heavenly sovereignty, the abidance in the pristine state of the self, and dwelling in the Lord”. There are FOUR key groups of words that have been chosen by Swamy AlavanthAr to
summarize the core of the 14th Chapter of GeethA:
(1) GuNa-bhandha-vidhA,
(2) tEshAm karthruthvam,
(3) Tannivartthanam,
(4) Gathithraya -svamoolathvam.
Let us comment on them one by one following the way chosen by ThirukkaLLam Swamy:
GuNa-bhandha-vidhA: This is the way in which the three guNams-- Sathvam, Rajas and Tamas -- bind the jeevan to SamsAram. Among the three, Satthvam promotes bonding to Sukaham, Jn~Anam and facilitates the performance of (puNya) KarmAs that binds the jeevan to samsAram. RajO guNam creates desire for every (worldly) thing other than BhagavAn and leads the jeevan to perform karmAs that ends up in the Jeevan swirling in SamsAric ocean. Tamas shackles the jeevan very tightly to SamsAric jail and creates sleepiness, disinterest, procrastination in doing things. These are the prAkArams (ways) of GuNams which ties up the jeevan to SamsAram (GuNa-bhandha-vidhA:).
TEshAm karthruthvam: Jeevan's acts based on desire, anger, sorrow; attachment is caused by the operation of three guNAs. It is not jeevan's nature to have desire, anger etc. Water does not scald one in its intrinsic form. Jalam however scalds due to sambhandham with fire. Similarly, Jeevan's svaroopam (intrinsic nature) is endowed with auspicious attributes (Sath guNams). Jeevan however through sambhandham with Prakruthi made up of three guNams ends up in engaging in activities, which are inconsistent with its intrinsic nature. This is referred to by the two words: “tEshAm Karthruthvam”.
Tannivartthanam: Those who elect the Lord as their ultimate goal (phalan, fruit of their efforts) and exhibit unwavering Bhakthi to Him will not be influenced any longer by the three guNams. They cross the MaayA of BhagavAn (Prakruthi) and attain a status, which equals the Lord's attributes in many areas (Parabrahma Saamyam). Such a person is a Parama SaathvIkan. He looks upon a lump of earth with the same feeling of detachment as he looks at a ball of gold. These people, who have overcome the Bhagavann-MaayA, are known as “GuNAdheethar”. Unwavering Bhakthi to Me is the only route to cross My maayA says the Lord. All the three goals -- -- Iswaryam (worldly wealth, Kaivalyam (direct visualization of the Self) and Moksham (freedom from the cycle of birth and death) are granted by the Lord and Lord alone.
Gathi-thraya-moolathvam: Our Lord (VaasudEvan) alone grants the three purushArTams of Kaivalyam, Iswaryam and Moksham. Gathi Thrayam refers to these three Phalans.
SWAMY DESIKAN'S SUMMARY OF THE 14TH CHAPTER—15TH PAASURAM
mukkuNamE uyir muRRavum kattida mooNDamayum
mukkuNamE anaitthum vinai koLLa muyanRamayum
mukkuNa mAyai kadatthalum mukkathi tanthaLippum
mukkuNam aRRa PirAn mozhinthAn mudiyOn tanakkE
முக்குணமே உயிர் முற்றவும் கட்டிட மூண்டமையும்
முக்குணமே அனைத்தும் வினை கொள்ள முயன்றமையும்
முக்குண மாயை கடத்தலும் முக்கதி தந்தளிப்பும்
முக்குணம் அற்ற பிரான் மொழிந்தான் முடியோன் தன்னக்கே
(MEANING):
Jeevan by Svaroopam is not capable of doing Paapa or PuNya Kaaryams. It is pristine pure and is of Jn~Ana Svaroopam. Satthva, Raajasa and TamO guNams (the triad making up Prakruthi) does these karmAs and makes the Jeevan believe that it did these karmAs. Satthva guNam creates the attachment for the Jeevan in Sukham and knowledge and makes the jeevan perform karmAs that are appropriate towards that goal. RajO GuNam creates the desire for carnal pleasures between men and women and pushes the jeevans to engage in
karmas that bind them to samsAram. The TamO guNam creates laziness, viparItha Jn~Anam and lack of focus in activities and leads to Jeevan accumulating many Paapams that shackle the Jeevan to SamsAric prison. The Jeevan becomes a muktha jeevan by performing its karmAs without expecting any Phalan, rejecting Anya devathA aaradhanam even by mind and pursuing bhakthi yOgam firmly. That type of Jeevan crosses the Sambhandham with Prakruthi made up of the three guNams and becomes the Muktha Jeevan.
BhagavAn is the only omnipotent One, who can grant the three PurushArTams (Kaivalyam, Iswaryam and Moksham). The Lord devoid of the three guNams described these tatthvams to Arjuna in the 14th chapter.
SOME KEY SLOKAMS OF THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER:
Sarva yonishu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah I
Tasam brahma mahat yonih aham beeja pradah pita II sloka 4
सर्व योनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः संभवन्ति याः I
तासां ब्रह्म महत् योनिः अहं बीज प्रदः पिता II श्लोक 4
(MEANING):
“Whatever forms are produced in any womb, Oh Arjuna, the Prakruthi is their great womb and I am the sowing Father”. The Lord says that He is “the imbedder of multiplex of conscient selves according to each one's karmAs”.
Sattvam rajah tama iti gunah prakriti sambhavah I
Nibhandhanti mahabaho dehe dehinam avyayam II sloka 5
सत्त्व रजः तम इति गुणः प्रकृति संभवः I
निभन्धन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनम् अव्ययम् II श्लोक 5
(MEANING):
“Satthva, Rajas and Tamas are the guNAs that arise from the Prakruthi. They bind the immutable self in the body, Oh ArjunA”. Jeevan is not in its pristine state when it is conjoined with the three guNAs (of Prakruthi).
GuNAs bind the Jeevan, when the jeevan resides in the body. Sathtva guNam for instance conjoined with the Jeevan binds latter through attachment to pleasure (Sukham) and knowledge (Jn~Anam). Rajas bind the embodied self with attachment to work (“Karma sangha dhvArENa, rajO dEhinam niBhadhnAthi”). Tamas arising from erroneous knowledge deludes (causes Mohanam) all embodied souls. Tamas binds the Jeevan with
“negligence, indolence and sleep” (aalasyam, anArambha svabhAva: and sthaBhdhathA ).
Karmanah sukrutasya ahuh sattvikam nirmalam phalam I
Rajasah tu phalam dukham agyanam tamasah phalam II sloka 16
कर्मणः सुकृतस्य आहुः सात्त्विकम् निर्मलं फलम् I
राजसः तु फलम् दुखम् अज्ञानं तमसः फलम् II श्लोक 16
(MEANING):
“The fruits of good deeds said to be pure and are of the nature of SatthvA. But the fruit of rajas is pain; and the fruit of tamas is ignorance.”
Na anyam gunabhyah kartaram yada drushta anupashyati I
Gunebhyah cha param vedati madbhavam sah adhigachyati II sloka 19
न अन्यं गुणभ्यः कर्तारं यदा दृष्ट अनुपश्यति I
गुणेभ्यः च परम् वेदति मद्भावं सः अधिगच्यति II श्लोक 19
(MEANING):
“When the seer beholds no agent of action other than the GuNAs, and knows what transcends the GuNAs, he attains to My state”. One who stays in pure Saathvic state gets there by partaking Saathvic food and the practice of asanchala (unwavering) Bhakthi yOgam and through nishkAma karmAnushtAnam (i.e.), He does every thing to please the Lord and does not seek any phalans for his karmAs. This noble seer comprehends that the guNAs are the agents of action and not the self. The pure-natured self (pristine by inherent svaroopam) “gains agency through various actions by contact (sambhandham) with the guNAs springing from past karmAs. When one perceives the self in this way, namely, that the self by itself is no agent of actions and is of the nature of infinite knowledge (Jn~Anam), then, that self attains to the likeness of the Lord (Brahma saamyam)”. That self attains immortality (vimukthO amrutham asnuthE). That noble seer has the vision of the self-being totally different from the three guNAs. He rises above the guNAs. He becomes qualified for the state of Brahman (Sa: BrahmabhUyAya kalpathE) through his unswerving, unshakable practice of Bhakthi yOgA. That noble seer with the conviction that realizing “VaasudEva is all is a rare one and is a MahAthmA dear to the Lord, who is immortal (Saasvathan), the embodiment of eternal dharmA and the perfect sukham (bliss principle)”. By taking refuge in the Lord, the Jn~Ani with one pointed mind transcends the three guNAs to attain Braham saamyam state. The concept of Prapatthi is introduced here as an angam (limb) of Bhakthi Yogam. There is another point of view that holds that Prapatthi by itself is an independent path (means) to attain Moksham and Brahma Saamyam. Bhakthi yOgam is not within the reach of all. It is extremely difficult to practice. Hence the act of Prapatthi that is open to all and is doable in a trice (short time) and does not take long to yield fruit is considered by AchAryAs to be superior as the means for moksham.
Meaning from Alavandar's Gitarthasangraham, translated by Diwan Bahadur VK Ramanujachari, published by Andavan Ashram
Guna bandha vidha tesham kartrutvam tanni vartanam I
Gatitrayasva moolatvam chaturdasha udiryate II
गुण बन्ध विधा तेषां कर्तृत्वं तन्नि वर्तनम् I
गतित्रयस्व मूलत्वं चतुर्दश उदीर्यते II — 18th slOkam of GeethArTa Sangraham
In the fourteenth chapter, the following matters are stated - the mode in which the gunas bind; their doership; the means of transcending them; and the fact that He (the highest atma) is the means to the three kinds of goal.
Explanation : The three gunas, known as sattva, rajas and tamas, are ever found in matter (prakriti). They cannot be perceived by the eye as colour is; but most be known from the effects that they produce. In the state of cosmic rest they are not manifested; and they appear, when matter changes into mahat ahankara and the rest. When matter appears in the form of deva or human bodies, they bind the atma that dwells in them. Though in his nature he is unfit to be so bound, the bondage takes place from the fact that he remains in a body (verse 5). Of them sattva enables one to see a thing as it is, and conduces to pleasure. It creates attachment to jnana (knowledge) and pleasure. This leads to the doing of worldly karma, or that pointed by the veda, as the means to them; and in order that the fruit of the karma maybe experienced, he is connected with a body. This is how the atma is bound (verse 6). Rajas creates love (the love of husband to wife and of the wife to the husband), attachment to sons, friends and the like, and attachment to every kind of sense objects. It binds the atma by making him do action. (verse 7). Tamas makes one see a thing differently from what it is; it produces inattention, unwillingness to begin a work, and sleep. By these means it binds the atma (verse 8).
2. The bondage described does not take place in some cases. When the attachment is to knowledge of the highest atma, or to the bliss to be enjoyed in the highest heaven, it does not connect one with a body; on the other hand, it leads to release. In this case, if the quality rajas serves sattva, it enables one to reach the goal quickly; it does not therefore bind. Similarly, when one desires to do what is improper, tamas by making him disinclined to take action becomes useful.
3.Verse 19 recalls to mind what was asked in the chapter 3 of the Gita :
When the seer does not perceive any doer other than the gunas, and knows that one other than the gunas (ie the atma) is not the doer, he attains my aspect
4. The means of transcending the gunas is stated in verse 26. The means is the doing of bhakthi yoga, the object of love being the highest atma (paramatma) and not any other devata. It is not sufficient to think of the difference between the body and the atma in the manner stated in the preceding para. It is liable to be nullified by the tendency to identify the 'I" with the body created and developed in the beginningless past. Hence the help of the paramatma should be sought; and He not only has an unfailing will, but is also extremely merciful. and loves those who come to him. That one may transcend the gunas with the help of the highest atma was also stated in Chapter 7, verse 14.
5. The last point to be noticed is that the highest atma (paramatma) is the being that makes one attain the three kinds of goals. They are - the attainment of superior material enjoyment, self-realisation and enjoyment, and the reaching of the highest atma. This is stated in the last verse of the chapter.
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For an introduction given earlier to the Gitarthasangrahas by Swamy Alavandar & Swamy Desikan
For Essence of the 1st chapter go to
For Essence of the 2nd chapter go to
For Essence of the 3rd chapter go to
For Essence of the 4th chapter go to
For Essence of the 5th chapter go to
For Essence of the 6th chapter go to
For Essence of the 7th chapter go to
For Essence of the 8th chapter go to
For Essence of the 9th chapter go to
For Essence of the 10th chapter go to
For Essence of the 11th chapter go to
For Essence of the 12th chapter go to
