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Bhagavad-gītā 7.13

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभि: सर्वमिदं जगत् । मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्य: परमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥
tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair
[tribhir guna-mayair bhaavair]
ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
[ebhih sarvam idam jagat]
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti
[mohitam naabhijaanaati]
mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam
[maam ebhyah param avyayam]
Word-for-word
tribhiḥ — three guṇa - mayaiḥ — consisting of the guṇas bhāvaiḥ — by the states of being ebhiḥ — all these sarvam — whole idam — this jagat — universe mohitam — deluded na abhijānāti — does not know mām — Me ebhyaḥ — above these param — the Supreme avyayam — inexhaustible .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair
tribhiḥ
three
guṇa - mayaiḥ
consisting of the guṇas
bhāvaiḥ
by the states of being
ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
ebhiḥ
all these
sarvam
whole
idam
this
jagat
universe
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti
mohitam
deluded
na abhijānāti
does not know
mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam
mām
Me
ebhyaḥ
above these
param
the Supreme
avyayam
inexhaustible .
Important Words
  • guṇa - mayaiḥ — consisting of the guṇas
    Compound: guṇa + -maya (made of, consisting of). The 'states of being' the verse names are not external to the modes — they are the modes' own substance. Bhāva and guṇa are not separable here.
  • mohitam — deluded
    Past participle of √muh (to be confused). The whole world (sarvam idam jagat) is the object — universal predicate. Not a few deluded; everyone in the modes is, by definition, deluded about Him.
  • na abhijānāti — does not know, does not recognize
    abhi (toward) + jñā (know) — strong cognition, direct recognition. With na: cannot recognize. Not 'has not heard about'; cannot perceive even when shown.
  • param — the Supreme, beyond
    Same root as parā in 7.5. Kṛṣṇa is beyond the three modes — categorically other. Not the highest mode; outside the mode-system entirely.
  • avyayam — inexhaustible
    Privative: a- (not) + vyaya (decay, expenditure). The modes deplete; their products age and die. Kṛṣṇa, being outside them, never depletes. The word marks the categorical gap.
Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.
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)
The guṇas bewitch the world's perception. Wrapped in sāttvic, rājasic, and tāmasic moods, beings cannot recognize the Lord who stands above and outside the guṇa-flux. This explains the rarity of true knowledge mentioned in 7.3.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Mohita — the past passive participle is key: the world is not merely uninformed but actively bewildered, as if a film has been cast over its cognition. The remedy in 7.14 will be daiva-māyā-tāraṇa (crossing māyā) by prapatti. Cf. BG 14.5–7 on how each guṇa binds; here the focus is on their collective effect on jñāna.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
एभिः त्रिभिः गुण-मयैः भावैः मोहितं सर्वम् इदं जगत् एभ्यः परम् अव्ययं मां न अभिजानाति ।
ebhiḥ tribhiḥ guṇa-mayaiḥ bhāvaiḥ mohitaṃ sarvam idaṃ jagat ebhyaḥ param avyayaṃ māṃ na abhijānāti |
Bewildered by these three guṇa-formed states, this entire world fails to recognize Me, who am beyond them and imperishable.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
त्रिभिः गुण-मयैः भावैः एभिः सर्वम् इदं जगत् । मोहितं न अभिजानाति माम् एभ्यः परम् अव्ययम् ॥
tribhiḥ guṇa-mayaiḥ bhāvaiḥ ebhiḥ sarvam idaṃ jagat | mohitaṃ na abhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
त्रिभिः tribhiḥ त्रि num. ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. by three
गुण-मयैः guṇa-mayaiḥ गुण + मय (suffix -maya) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) consisting of the guṇas
भावैः bhāvaiḥ भाव (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) by states / moods
एभिः ebhiḥ इदम् pron. (pronoun) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. by these
सर्वम् sarvam सर्व (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. all / whole
इदम् idam इदम् pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. this
जगत् jagat जगत् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) world
मोहितम् mohitam √मुह् caus. (causative) p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. bewildered
न na ind. (neg.) not
अभिजानाति abhijānāti अभि+√ज्ञा pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) fully knows / recognizes
माम् mām अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
एभ्यः ebhyaḥ इदम् pron. (pronoun) abl.pl. (ablative plural)m. than these
परम् param पर (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. higher / beyond
अव्ययम् avyayam अव्यय (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. imperishable
Purport

The whole world is enchanted by the three modes of material nature. Those who are bewildered by these three modes cannot understand that transcendental to this material nature is the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Every living entity under the influence of material nature has a particular type of body and a particular type of psychological and biological activities accordingly. There are four classes of men functioning in the three material modes of nature. Those who are purely in the mode of goodness are called brāhmaṇas. Those who are purely in the mode of passion are called kṣatriyas. Those who are in the modes of both passion and ignorance are called vaiśyas. Those who are completely in ignorance are called śūdras. And those who are less than that are animals or animal life. However, these designations are not permanent. I may be either a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or whatever – in any case, this life is temporary. But although life is temporary and we do not know what we are going to be in the next life, by the spell of this illusory energy we consider ourselves in terms of this bodily conception of life, and we thus think that we are American, Indian, Russian, or brāhmaṇa, Hindu, Muslim, etc. And if we become entangled with the modes of material nature, then we forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is behind all these modes. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that living entities deluded by these three modes of nature do not understand that behind the material background is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many different kinds of living entities – human beings, demigods, animals, etc. – and each and every one of them is under the influence of material nature, and all of them have forgotten the transcendent Personality of Godhead. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, and even those who are in the mode of goodness, cannot go beyond the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth. They are bewildered before the Supreme Lord in His personal feature, which possesses all beauty, opulence, knowledge, strength, fame and renunciation. When even those who are in goodness cannot understand, what hope is there for those in passion and ignorance? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to all these three modes of material nature, and those who are truly established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are actually liberated.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
13. The whole world, bewildered by the objects and persons made of three guṇas, does not know Me, the unchanging, who am above all of those things.
Commentary

“Then if You are all things, why do people not know You, the Supreme Lord?” All the jīvas born in the universe (sarvam idaṁ jagat), being bewildered by the states such as sense and mind control in the mood of goodness, jubilation in the mode of passion, and lamentation in the mode of ignorance, stemming from the nature of the guṇas, do not know Me, who am superior to them (param) and without change (avyayam), since I am beyond the guṇas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
13. The whole world, bewildered by the transformations of three guṇas, does not know Me, possessed of unchanging spiritual qualities, who am untouched by all of the products of the guṇas.
Commentary

Having shown His svarūpa which is the worthy object of meditation, distinct from His two energies (inferior and superior prakṛti), the Lord in three verses explains the cause of ignorance of His svarūpa—attachment to the inferior energy. All the jīvas of this universe, taking up forms of deva, asura, human and so forth (saravam idam jagat), have lost their power of discrimination (mohitam) by the states of existence (bhavaiḥ) made of sattva, rajas and tamas, the effects of My material gunās previously explained (ebhiḥ tribhiḥ guṇa mayaiḥ); by these states in which the jīvas are subject to birth (and body) and to transformation at every moment; by these states where the jīvas are situated in various bodies, senses and sense objects in accordance with their karmas. They are envious of Me, Kṛṣṇa, possessed of unfailing nature, not liable to fall into the state experience of the jīvas (avyayam); they are envious of Me, the lord of all beings, full of condensed knowledge and bliss, an ocean of infinite auspicious qualities, who am untouched (param) by all the jīvas in the guṇas (ebhyaḥ).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Rather than thinking that Krsna is the source of everything, they think that He is within the modes. This is caused by the three modes of material nature. How to know and see Krsna? And who does know Krsna?

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

Explains “Why people do not know and realize Him as the essence of all, if He is everywhere?”

Because they are bewildered by three modes
On the contrary, they think – Krishna is also under modes like me
Real position of Krishna – “Above modes” and “inexhaustible
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
7.13 Sarvam, all; idam, this; jagat, world, the aggregate of creatures; mohitam, deluded as it is-made to have indiscrimination; hih, by these; aforesaid tribhih, three; bhavaih, things, in the forms of attachment, repulsion, delusion, etc; and gunamayaih, made of the gunas, of the transformations of the gunas; na abhijanati, does not know; mam, Me; who am param, transcendental to, distinct, different; hyah, from these gunas as referred to above; and am avyayam, undecaying, i.e. free from all (the six kinds of) changes in things, viz birth etc. [See note on p.38.-Tr.] How, again, do they cross over this divine Maya of Visnu, constituted by the three gunas? That is being stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
7.13 Now, in this way, the whole universe, consisting of animate and inanimate entities belonging to Me, evolves from time to time from Me only, is absorbed in Me, and abides in Me alone. It constitutes My body and has Me for its self. Whether in the causal state or in the state of effect, it is I who have all these entities as My modes, because all entities form My body. Thus, in regard to all these modes, I am superior to them, as I am their cause, principal, and as I possess a complex of countless auspicious attributes like knowledge, strength etc. In every way I remain as the highest being. There exists none higher than Myself. Such being the case, I am superior to these entities composed of the alities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas - superior to them by My extraordinary attributes and by having these various modes for My enjoyment. I am the highest and immutable, i.e., I form a unity in Myself. This world constituted of gods, men, animals and immovables, and deluded by the three Gunas of Prakrti and its evolutes are inferior and transient. The forms of bodies, senses and objects of enjoyment comprising the world are there in accordance with their past Karmas. No one in the world knows Me. How is it possible that all experiencing beings think as enjoyable objects which are inferior, constituted of the Gunas and are transient, while You exist - You who are of the nature of unbounded and abundant bliss, who has an eternal unchanging form and who is the source of the enjoyableness of even the objects of the world? Sri Krsna replies:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
7.12-13 Ye ca etc. Tribhih etc. The [Strands] Sattva etc., are derived from Me, and not I from them. That is why he who has achieved his identity with the Bhagavat (the Absolute), properly realises all [objects] as being the Bhagavat [Himself]. On the other hand, the person who is established in the knowledge of objects of umpteen varieties does not understand the reality of the Bhagavat. This krama (traditional order) pleases the mind of all. With this idea only the Lord is going to declare presently 'Vasudeva is all'. There the meaning is this : He, whose internal organ is favoured by the descent of the Supreme Energy or grace (Sakti-pata) that arises after [teaching the stage of] eableness of effects of actions (karma-samata) that is brought about by the enjoyment [of effects] through many births; and who realises the reality of Bhagavat, with conviction 'verily all is Vasudeva' - that person is the great Soul and he is difficult to find. But, not knowing in this manner and, on the contrary, being duluded by the Strands, Sattva etc., this world, fails to perceive the reality of Vasudeva, transcending the Strands. [The Lord] declares why the persons established exclusively in the Sattva etc. (Strands), are not conscious of the real nature of the Bhagavat :
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
7.13 Deluded by these Natures (states or things) composed of the three alities of Nature all this world does not know Me as distinct from them and immutable.
Commentary

7.13 त्रिभिः by three? गुणमयैः composed of Gunas? भावैः by natures? एभिः by these? सर्वम् all? इदम् this? जगत् world? मोहितम् deluded? न not? अभिजानाति knows? माम् Me? एभ्यः from them? परम् higher? अव्ययम् immutable.Commentary Persons of this world are deluded by the three alities of Nature or Maya. Affection? attachment and infatuated love are all modifications of these alities. On account of delusion created by these three alities they are not able to break the worldly ties and to turn the mind towards the Supreme Soul? the Lord of the three alities.Avyayam Immutable or unchangeable or inexhaustible or imperishable. The Self is of one homogeneous essence. It has not got the six changes or modifications (Shad Bhava Vikaras) which the body has? viz.? existence? birth? growth? modification? decay and death. (Cf.VII.25)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
7.13 All this world, deluded as it is by these three things made of the gunas (alities), does not know Me who am transcendental to these and undecaying.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
7.13 The inhabitants of the world, misled by those natures which the Qualities have engendered, know not that I am higher than them all, and that I do not change.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
BG 9.11 BG 7.25 BG 14.5 SB 1.8.19 SB 7.5.30 SB 10.14.1 CC Madhya 6.92 CC Madhya 20.119 CC Ādi 7.118 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.5Īśa Upaniṣad 9
Concepts
Bhava
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Deluded by these three modes, the world does not know Me — who am above the modes and inexhaustible.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize delusion as the obstacle, not Kṛṣṇa's hiddenness.
  • Address the delusion (mode-identification) and Kṛṣṇa becomes evident.
  • Don't blame Kṛṣṇa for hiding.
Reflection Questions
  • Which mode has me most deluded right now?
  • What practice cuts through that mode?
Analogy

A man wearing tinted goggles sees everything through the tint and forgets the goggles are on. The three modes are such goggles, fitted at birth. The world looks pink or red or grey — and Kṛṣṇa, who is colorless beyond the tint, becomes invisible. He has not hidden; the lenses are doing what lenses do.

Stories
Duryodhana refusing Kṛṣṇa's peace embassy

When Kṛṣṇa came to Hastināpura as the Pāṇḍavas' envoy, offering peace for five villages, Duryodhana — looking straight at the Supreme Personality of Godhead — saw only a cowherd cousin trying to manipulate him politically.

The Mahābhārata gives the scene in detail. Kṛṣṇa even displayed His viśva-rūpa in the assembly; some saw, some did not. Duryodhana's mode-vision — rajas burning into tamas — left him unable to see what Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Vidura all saw at the same moment in the same room. The verse exactly: mohitam … nābhijānāti.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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