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Bhagavad-gītā 18.40

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुन: । सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभि: स्यात्‍त्रिभिर्गुणै: ॥ ४० ॥
na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā
[na tad asti prithivyaam vaa]
divi deveṣu vā punaḥ
[divi deveshu vaa punah]
sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ
[sattvam prakriti-jair muktam]
yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
[yad ebhih syaat tribhir gunaih]
Word-for-word
na — not tat — that asti — there is pṛthivyām — on the earth vā — or divi — in the higher planetary system deveṣu — amongst the demigods vā — or punaḥ — again sattvam — existence prakṛti - jaiḥ — born of material nature muktam — liberated yat — that ebhiḥ — from the influence of these syāt — is tribhiḥ — three guṇaiḥ — modes of material nature .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā
na
not
tat
that
asti
there is
pṛthivyām
on the earth
vā
or
divi deveṣu vā punaḥ
divi
in the higher planetary system
deveṣu
amongst the demigods
vā
or
punaḥ
again
sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ
sattvam
existence
prakṛti - jaiḥ
born of material nature
muktam
liberated
yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
yat
that
ebhiḥ
from the influence of these
syāt
is
tribhiḥ
three
guṇaiḥ
modes of material nature .
Important Words
  • pṛthivyām — on the earth
    Locative. The lower realm — with divi (heaven) the verse spans both. The verse forecloses the fantasy that the demigods are guṇa-free — even Brahmā and Indra operate within the modes.
  • deveṣu — among the demigods
    Locative plural. Even the celestial residents are not exempt. Their bodies are sāttvika-dominant, but still guṇic. Mokṣa is *beyond* the modes, not at their top.
  • muktam — liberated
    Past participle — free, released. Not a single being in any of the three planetary systems is yet mukta from the guṇas. The condition is universal.
  • prakṛti-jaiḥ — born of material nature
    Compound — *born from* prakṛti. The modes are not abstract qualities; they are *children* of material nature. To touch prakṛti at all is to wear their colors.
  • guṇaiḥ — from the modes
    Instrumental plural. With tribhiḥ: from the three. The instrument of binding — and the chapter's central diagnostic vocabulary. Every classification of the chapter has been by these three; the verse seals their universality.
There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed from these three modes born of material nature.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
A summing statement: no being anywhere in the cosmos — earth or heaven, mortal or divine — is exempt from the three modes of material nature. The guṇa-grid is universal.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Closes the guṇa-anatomy section. The point is sobering yet liberating: nobody escapes by accident; the path out is the deliberate cultivation of sattva and then transcendence of even sattva (cf. 14.20-26). The verse also legitimizes the exhaustive guṇa-classification just completed — there is no human reality outside it.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः तत् सत्त्वं न अस्ति यत् एभिः त्रिभिः प्रकृति-जैः गुणैः मुक्तं स्यात् ।
pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ tat sattvaṃ na asti yat ebhiḥ tribhiḥ prakṛti-jaiḥ guṇaiḥ muktaṃ syāt |
There exists no being — on earth, or in heaven among the devas — that is free from these three modes born of prakṛti.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
न तत् अस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः । सत्त्वं प्रकृति-जैः मुक्तं यत् एभिः स्यात् त्रिभिः गुणैः ॥
na tat asti pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ | sattvaṃ prakṛti-jaiḥ muktaṃ yat ebhiḥ syāt tribhiḥ guṇaiḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
न na ind. (indeclinable) negation not
तत् tat तद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. that
अस्ति asti √अस् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) exists
पृथिव्याम् pṛthivyām पृथिवी (f.) loc.sg. (locative singular) on earth
वा vā ind. (indeclinable) or
दिवि divi द्यो (f.) loc.sg. (locative singular) in heaven
देवेषु deveṣu देव (m.) loc.pl. (locative plural) among devas
पुनः punaḥ ind. (indeclinable) again
सत्त्वम् sattvam सत्त्व (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) being
प्रकृति-जैः prakṛti-jaiḥ tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. by those born of prakṛti
मुक्तम् muktam √मुच् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. free
यत् yat यद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. which
स्यात् syāt √अस् opt. (optative) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) would be
एभिः ebhiḥ इदम् (pron. (pronoun)) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. these
त्रिभिः tribhiḥ त्रि (num.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. three
गुणैः guṇaiḥ गुण (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) modes
Purport

The Lord here summarizes the total influence of the three modes of material nature all over the universe.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
40. There is no living entity on earth or in heaven who is free from these three guṇas arising from prakṛti.
Commentary

Including those things not mentioned, the Lord now summarizes this section. There is not anything, no living species or non-living things (sattvam), which is free from the three guṇas born of prakṛti. Everything in existence is composed of the three guṇas. The meaning of this section is that sattvic items are acceptable and those of rajas and tamas are not.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
40. There is no living entity or object on earth or in heaven who is free from these three guṇas arising from prakṛti.
Commentary

Summarizing the meaning of this topic, the Lord includes here all other things that He did not mention. In this world, among men, in the heavens of svarga, among the devas, among all creatures in creation from Brahmā down to immovable entities, there is no living entity (sattvam) and no object which is free of the three guṇas arising from prakṛti. Among all things made of the three guṇas, those in the mode of goodness should be accepted because they alone are useful, and those things in the lower modes should be rejected.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Srila Prabhupada explains in his Purport that the modes of material nature are determining all activities, high, low, medium and in between, in each of the planetary systems througout the entire universe. They are doing everything in one sense but in other hand they are inert, so they are not doing anything. After describing how to get free from the reactions of work (in the two first sections) and then describing how everything is simply controlled by the three modes of material nature and everyone is forced to work according to these modes, now Krsna is going to explain how to gain liberation. He is going to start climbing the yoga‑ladder, bottom‑most rangs to the top‑most rangs of this yoga‑ladder. Krsna is going to describe how, although one is in the modes of material nature, one can transcend those modes using the work that is controlled by those modes. Krsna just describe that all activities in this material world are controlled by the modes, so therefore the question will be: 'how can one get out? Because everything I do is controlled by the modes.' Here Krsna is going to describe specifically that, how can get out of the modes of material nature using work according to those modes. At the bottom rang of the yoga‑ladder there is sakama karma‑ yoga where one works with fruitive desires. He has desires but he is working according to sastra. That means that he does his prescribed duty according to his varna and asrama. Here, when one is attached to the work and their fruits in the modes of material nature, how to get free by following varna‑ asrama is described. Summary: the two first sections describe how to become free through detached work and then through jnana where one understands that he is not doing anything. And then, in the third section, if one is not doing anything , who is doing? ‑ the modes. And the fourth section is how to become free from the modes of material nature by using the modes of material nature.

[ D. WORSHIPING THE LORD THROUGH ONE'S OCCUPATIONAL WORK IS TRUE RENUNCIATION AND BRINGS FREEDOM FROM REACTIONS (18. 41‑48) 1. Thus being controlled by the modes, the brahmana is peaceful, self controlled, austere, tolerant, honest, wise, and religious. The ksatriya is determined, generous, resourceful, and courageous. The vaisya naturally tends towards business, farming, and cow protection, while the sudra tends towards labor and service to others. (41‑45) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Kṛṣṇa is developing His summary of all the prior chapters. As a basic summary of the first six chap-

ters, He explainedkarma and how detached work frees us from material bondage. Next He summa-

rized the third set of six chapters, the jñāna chapters, in which work free of reaction is explained

from the viewpoint of jñāna: When the eternal soul accepts that he is not the doer and surrenders

to the ultimate sanctioner of all activities, the Supersoul, no reactions are accrued by him. Kṛṣṇa

concluded by explaining the actual doer in the material world: the three modes of material nature.

Kṛṣṇa will now describe the progressive journey through karma and jñāna to realization of the Su-

persoul. He will then reach the philosophical conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā: bhakti, in which the living

Bhagavad Gita Notes

entity not only realizes the Supersoul but surrenders to Him, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.40 Na asti, there is no; tat, such; sattvam, entity, living creatures like men and others, or non-living things; prthivyam, in the world; va punah, or, again; an entity devesu, among the gods; divi, in heaven; yat, which; syat, can be [-this is connected with the preceding portion 'na tat, there is no such (entity)'-]; muktam, free; hih, from these; trubhih, three; gunaih, gunas, sattva etc.; prakrti-jaih, born of Nature. It has been said that the entire transmigratory state together with its roots, characterized by action, agent and resuls-consisting of the gunas, sattva, rajas and tamas-, and projected by ignorance, is an evil. And this also has been said through the imagery of the Tree in the verse, '৷৷.which has its roots upward' etc. (15.1). It has been further said that, 'after felling that (Tree), with the strong sword of detachment, thereafter, that State has to be sought for' (15.3-4). And, as to that, since all things consist of the three gunas, there arises the impossibility of the eradication of the cause of worldly existence. Hence, it has to be shown how it can be eradicated. Besides, the purport of the scripture Gita has to be summed up, and it has also to be shown that the import of all the Vedas and the Smrtis, which must be put into practice by those who long for the Goal of human life, is verily this much. Hence begin the verses, 'The duties of the Brahmanas, the Ksatriyas and the Vaisyas৷৷.', etc.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.40 There is no Sattva or creature born either among men etc., on the earth or among the gods in heaven, from Brahma down to immobile things, and having their basis in Prakrti, that is free from the dominance of the three Gunas of Prakrti. 'Tyaga', which has been determined as forming the means for release in the Sruti texts like 'By Tyaga alone do they attain immortality' (Ma. Na., 8.14), is of the same meaning as of the word 'Sannyasa'. It is rooted in the relinishment of the sense of agency in actions that are being performed. The relinishment of the results and of possessiveness in actions, and the relinguishing of agency are to be gained by ascribing the agency to the Supreme Person. As all these are the effects of the increase of Sattva-guna, the differences of the effects of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas have been described at length with a view to instruct that Sattva is to be cultivated. Now Sri Krsna, with a view to inculcate that actions done including their fruits, as a means to release and attainment of Him, must be of the nature of the worship of the Supreme Person, and that the fruit thereof is the attainment of Him - describes the actions obligatory for the alified classes of the people such as Brahmanas, differentiated by virtue of the natural alities arising from the Gunas such as Sattva, as also the occupations prescribed for those classes.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.40 Na tad asti etc. In this manner, the agent, the object and the instrument, the intellect and content, and happiness are classified under different heads of the Sattva etc. Because they have a mutual relationship of subordinate-and-principal or of the oppressed-and-opressor or of the togetherness; becuase they have modifications occuring either together or in a specific seence; and because they, on that account, have varieties beyond all counting; they are capable of bringing forth fruits (results) of umpteen variety. This (statement) logically demonstrates in detail the uncomprehensibility of actions (their results) which has been indicated earlier (above IV, 17ff.). All these beings, starting from the gods down to the immovables, do not transcend the relation with the traid of the Strands. Indeed it has been said - 'Commencing from Brahma (personal god) down to the [insignificant] worm, no one is really happy; all, without exception, having desire to live, undertake different acts of agitation (or commit different frauds to appear to be happy).' Indeed the real happiness is [only] to him whose mind has gone beyond the Strands and not to anyone else. This is what is intended here. So far, the three-fold nature of each of the six items and also of the content etc., has been explained. 'Among them, he who is occupied with the group of the Sattva (Strand) and who has attained the divine wealth is fit for the subject under study; and you are of that sort' - telling in this manner, Arjuna has been encouraged. Now the following is declared : If you engage yourself in the action with this reslove for correct knowledge, then because of your undertaking of your own righteous action and because of your sanctity through wisdom, there is no bondage of aciton for you. On the other hand, if you don't follow this, [even] then there must necessarily be some activity in you; because your birth itself stands to that effect. Since, being controlled by its own intrinsic nature, everything, though it may have, for a short while, its nature concealed due to some fault, regains its own nature that becomes perceivable when the concealing agent disappears. For example, the nature of the castes is of this nature. Thus when an effort necessarily takes place, there would be [for its agent] its fruit. This [the Bhagavat] says-
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.40 There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods, that is liberated from the three alities born of Nature.
Commentary

18.40 न not? तत् that? अस्ति is? पृथिव्याम् on the earth? वा or? दिवि in heaven? देवेषु among the gods? वा or? पुनः again? सत्त्वम् being? प्रकृतिजैः born of Prakriti (matter)? मुक्तम् freed? यत् which? एभिः from these? स्यात् may be? त्रिभिः from three? गुणैः by alities.Commentary The Gunas form the warp and woof of everything as threads do in the case of cloth.Here in the world of mortals or there in the heavenworld? there is no creature that is not bound by the three alities of Nature. Can there be a cloth without threads Can there be a man without blood and bones Can there be a mountain without stones Even so there is not a single creature in the whole universe into whose composition the three alities of matter do not enter. The whole of creation is wrought of these three alities. They have given rise to the Trinity (Brahma? Vishnu and Siva). In the world of mortals the triplicity of agent? action and fruit owe their origin to them. They are the cause of the different functions of the four castes. This Samsara has been compared to the peepul tree in chapter XV.1. This Samsara is made up of the three alities and is kept up by the force of ignorance.Action? instruments of action and fruits have set the wheel of Samsara in motion and this wheel is revolving from beginningless time. It is only a liberated sage who has attained knowledge of the Self who puts a check to this wheel? goes beyond the cause and the effect? and breaks the bonds of Karma.Cut this mysterious tree of Samsara with the strong sword of nonattachment? transcend the three Gunas and rest in your own essential divine nature as ExistenceKnowledgeBliss Absolute.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.40 There is no such entity in the world or, again, among the gods in heaven, which can be free from these three gunas born of Nature.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.40 There is nothing anywhere on earth or in the higher worlds which is free from the three Qualities - for they are born of Nature.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 7.13 BG 14.5 BG 3.5 SB 11.25.31 SB 11.22.50 SB 7.1.7 CC Madhya 24.134 CC Madhya 19.213 CC Madhya 25.92 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.5Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
There is no being on earth or among the demigods free from these three modes born of material nature.
Practical Applications
  • Don't fantasize that you can escape modes within the material realm.
  • Aim above the modes — to the spiritual.
  • Use this universality humbly.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I been chasing a 'pure mode' state in the material world?
  • What does aiming higher require?
Analogy

Three colored threads run through every garment in the cosmic wardrobe. There is no body — earthly or heavenly, demigod or insect — woven without some combination of these three. The whole of conditioned existence is the loom; the guṇas are the threads.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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