This is the same question asked in chapter two: sthita-prajṣasya kā bhāsā (please describe the sthita-prajṣa). However, out of extreme desire to know, Arjuna asks again. One question is “By what symptoms should one understand a person is beyond the guṇas?” (kair liṅgaiḥ) The second question is “What is his behavior?” (kim ācāraḥ) The third question is “What is the means of attaining transcendence of the guṇas?” (katham ca etān) When Arjuna asked his question in chapter two, he did not ask how a person could transcend the guṇas. But now he asks this question also. That is the difference.

Kṛṣṇa answers the question “What are the symptoms of one who is beyond the guṇas?” Illumination (prakāśaḥ) is the effect of sattva guṇa, as mentioned previously in the verse sarva dvāreṣu dehe’ smin prakāśa upajayate. Absorption in various projects (pravṛtti) is the effect of rajo guṇa. Absorption in the false (moha) is the effect of tamo guṇa. These three words are representative of all the other qualities (mentioned previously) of the respective guṇas. He who does not lament when all these effects of the guṇas, illumination, absorption in activities and absorption in falsity appears suddenly, nor rejoice when the effects of the guṇas disappear, is said to beyond the guṇas. The last phrase of verse 25, sa guṇātīta ucyate is understood to apply to all the verses preceding. Using the neuter gender in the word sampravṛttāni is poetic license.

Kṛṣṇa answers the second question, about the conduct of the person beyond the guṇas, in verses 23-25. He who is not disturbed by the effects of the guṇas (guṇaiḥ), in the form of happiness and distress, who does not move from his svarūpa as ātmā (guṇaiḥ na vicālyate), who remains silent (avatiṣṭhati), knowing “The guṇas alone are giving these effects; I have no relationship with this happiness and distress,” (guṇa vartante iti evam), who does not strive for bodily needs (na iṅgate), is said to be beyond the guṇas. Avatiṣṭhati is used for avatiṣṭhate as poetic license.

On seeing such symptoms and conduct of the person beyond the guṇas, one should describe that person as being beyond the guṇas. One who merely talks about the possibility of being beyond the guṇas is not said to be beyond the guṇas.

Arjuna asks about the characteristics and conduct of one who is beyond the guṇas and the practice to reach that stage. The first question is “By what symptoms can I know I am beyond the guṇas?” The second question is “What is his conduct? Does he do actions by free will or according to regulation?” The third question is “By which practice will a person surpass the guṇas?” Bg 14.22, Bg 14.23, Bg 14.24, Bg 14.25, Bg 14.22-25 ī[q>aGavaNauvac ) Pa[k-aXa& c Pa[v*ita& c MaaehMaev c Paa<@v ) Na Ūeií SaMPa[v*taaiNa Na iNav*taaiNa k-ax(+aiTa )) 22 )) odaSaqNavdaSaqNaae Gau<aEYaaeR Na ivcaLYaTae ) Gau<aa vTaRNTa wTYaev& Yaae_viTaṣiTa Nae(r)Tae )) 23 )) SaMadu"%Sau%" SvSQa" SaMal/aeíaXMak-aĀNa" ) TauLYaiPa[YaaiPa[Yaae DaqrSTauLYaiNaNdaTMaSa&STauiTa" )) 24 )) MaaNaaPaMaaNaYaaeSTauLYaSTauLYaae iMa}aairPa+aYaae" ) SavaRrM>aPairTYaaGaq Gau<aaTaqTa" Sa oCYaTae )) 25 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca moham eva ca pāṇḍava na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vicālyate guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo 'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣṭāśma-kāṣcanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ mānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakāśam—illumination; ca—and; pravṛttim—attachment; ca—and; moham—illusion; eva ca—also; pāṇḍava—O son of Pāṇḍu; na dveṣṭi—does not hate; sampravṛttāni—although developed; na nivṛttāni—nor stopping development; kāṅkṣati—desires; udāsīna-vat—as if neutral; āsīnaḥ—situated; guṇaiḥ—by the qualities; yaḥ—one who; na—never; vicālyate—is agitated; guṇāḥ—the qualities; vartante—are acting; iti evam—knowing thus; yaḥ—one who; avatiṣṭhati—remains; na—never; iṅgate—flickers; sama—equal; duḥkha—in distress; sukhaḥ—and happiness; sva-sthaḥ—being situated in himself; sama—equally; loṣṭa—a lump of earth; aśma—stone; kāṣcanaḥ—gold; tulya—equally disposed; priya—to the dear; apriyaḥ—and the undesirable; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—equal; nindā—in defamation; ātma-saṁstutiḥ—and praise of himself; māna—in honor; apamānayoḥ—and dishonor; tulyaḥ—equal; tulyaḥ—equal; mitra—of friends; ari—and enemies; pakṣayoḥ—to the parties; sarva—of all; ārambha—endeavors; parityāgī—renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ—transcendental to the material modes of nature; saḥ—he; ucyate—is said to be.

Even though when Arjuna asked about the symptoms of the sthita prajṣa, the Lord answered (starting with BG 2.54), because Arjuna asks about this in a particular way again, Kṛṣṇa describes the characteristics in a different way. The questions are answered in five verses. The characteristics to be recognized within onself are mentioned in the first verse. He who does not hate the appearance of knowledge (the effect of sattva), action (the effect of rajas) or illusion (the effect of tamas), thinking that they will cause suffering by transforming into their respective effects, and who does not desire their disappearance along with their products, thinking that will cause happiness, such a person beyond hatred and attachment is called a person beyond the guṇas. The conclusion of the sentence comes in verse25: guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate. The presence or absence of hatred or attachment cannot be known to others, but to oneself. This is the internal quality of the person beyond the modes.

The second question “What is his conduct?” is answered by describing the external characteristics recognized by others, in three verses. He is neutral. Just as a neutral person does not move from his middle position when two parties are quarrelling, he is not moved by the guṇas transformed with states of happiness and suffering situated in the mind. The guṇas are acting (vartante) in producing their effects such as revelation of sattva guṇa. He remains silent, convinced that he has no relation with the guṇas. He does not act according to the effects of the guṇas (na iṅgate). Such a person is beyond the guṇas.

(Two verses continue to describe the external conduct.) Because he is fixed in his svarūpa (sva sthaḥ), he is equal in happiness and distress, since he knows that those are not part of the ātmā. Because of recognizing them as inferior things, he considers earth, stone and gold the same. He considers objects which yield happiness and distress (priyāpriye) as equal to a lump of earth. He is expert at seeing the difference between jīva and prakṛti (dhiraḥ). He is equal in criticism or praise of himself, because those faults or good qualities which are causes of criticism or praise are not constitutional to the ātmā. Such a person is beyond the guṇas 25. This verse clarifies the previous verse. Criticism and praise are accomplished by words, whereas respect and disrespect (māna apamāna) are accomplished by someone else’s body or mind. He gives up all undertakings (sarvārambha parityāgī), other than those essential for supporting the material body. A person with the conduct mentioned from verse 23 to 25 can be understood by others to be beyond the guṇas. He should be understood to be actually beyond the guṇas, rather than one who talks a lot about conclusions (but does not act.)