FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 14.22-25

శ్రీభగవానువాచ ప్రకాశం చ ప్రవృత్తిం చ మోహమేవ చ పాణ్డవ । న ద్వేష్టి సమ్ప్రవృత్తాని న నివృత్తాని కాఙ్‍క్షతి ॥ ౨౨ ॥ ఉదాసీనవదాసీనో గుణైర్యో న విచాల్యతే । గుణా వర్తన్త ఇత్యేవం యోఽవతిష్ఠతి నేఙ్గతే ॥ ౨౩ ॥ సమదు:ఖసుఖ: స్వస్థ: సమలోష్టాశ్మకాఞ్చన: । తుల్యప్రియాప్రియో ధీరస్తుల్యనిన్దాత్మసంస్తుతి: ॥ ౨౪ ॥ మానాపమానయోస్తుల్యస్తుల్యో మిత్రారిపక్షయో: । సర్వారమ్భపరిత్యాగీ గుణాతీత: స ఉచ్యతే ॥ ౨౫ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca
[prakaasham cha pravrittim cha]
moham eva ca pāṇḍava
[moham eva cha paandava]
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni
[na dveshti sampravrittaani]
na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati
[na nivrittaani kaankshati]
udāsīna-vad āsīno
[udaaseena-vad aaseeno]
guṇair yo na vicālyate
[gunair yo na vichaalyate]
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ
[gunaa vartanta ity evam]
yo ’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate
[yo ’vatishthati nengate]
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ
[sama-duhkha-sukhah sva-sthah]
sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ
[sama-loshtaashma-kaanchanah]
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras
[tulya-priyaapriyo dheeras]
tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ
[tulya-nindaatma-samstutih]
mānāpamānayos tulyas
[maanaapamaanayos tulyas]
tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ
[tulyo mitraari-pakshayoh]
sarvārambha-parityāgī
[sarvaarambha-parityaagee]
guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate
[gunaateetah sa uchyate]
Word-for-word
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 kāñcanaḥ — 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 .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī - bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca
prakāśam
illumination
ca
and
pravṛttim
attachment
ca
and
moham eva ca pāṇḍava
moham
illusion
eva ca
also
pāṇḍava
O son of Pāṇḍu
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni
na dveṣṭi
does not hate
sampravṛttāni
although developed
na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati
na nivṛttāni
nor stopping development
kāṅkṣati
desires
udāsīna-vad āsīno
udāsīna - vat
as if neutral
āsīnaḥ
situated
guṇair yo na vicālyate
guṇaiḥ
by the qualities
yaḥ
one who
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ
na
never
vicālyate
is agitated
yo ’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ
sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras
tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ
mānāpamānayos tulyas
tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī
guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate
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
kāñcanaḥ
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 .
Important Words
  • na dveṣṭi — does not hate
    Dviṣ — to hate, to be hostile. The negation is the verse's hinge: the transcendentalist's first sign is not exalted feeling but the absence of dveṣa toward the modes as they manifest. Hate is the soul's first false claim — 'these things should not be present in me'.
  • kāṅkṣati — desires, longs
    Kāṅkṣ — to long for. Paired by the verse with na (na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati): does not long when they have ceased. The second false claim — 'these things should be present in me' — is removed too. Both directions of the wanting axis collapse.
  • udāsīna-vat — as if neutral
    Udāsīna — sitting apart, neutral. The -vat suffix is crucial: 'like' a neutral one, not actually disengaged. The transcendentalist is not cold or absent; he holds the posture of neutrality while remaining present. A specific meditative stance, not a personality.
  • vartante — are acting
    Vṛt — to turn, to operate. The verse's three-word recognition — guṇāḥ vartante — is the cognitive foundation of the whole posture. The modes are doing their own turning; I am not the modes. The cognitive shift precedes the behavioral one. Read every action through this sentence.
  • sva-sthaḥ — situated in himself
    Sva-stha — standing in one's own. The Sanskrit word for 'well' (as in 'are you well?') is literally sva-stha. Health, in the deepest sense, is self-situation. The transcendentalist is well because he is in his own.
  • loṣṭa-aśma-kāñcanaḥ — earth-clod, stone, and gold
    Three escalating items inside one compound: a clod of dirt, a stone, a piece of gold. The verse picks them deliberately — most people are sama (equal) between the first two and unequal at the third. The compound tests where one's equality actually breaks.
  • tulya-nindā-ātma-saṁstutiḥ — equal in defamation and self-praise
    Note: not 'praise from others' but ātma-saṁstuti — praise of oneself. The harder test. The transcendentalist is unmoved both when others slander him and when others (or he himself) praise him. Both directions on the same axis.
  • sarva-ārambha-parityāgī — renouncer of all undertakings
    Ārambha (cf. v. 12) — the launch, the project-initiation. Parityāgī — full renouncer. The transcendentalist does not initiate fresh fruitive projects; what comes to him is performed without proprietorship. The same teaching as BG 2.47, here named as a symptom of having arrived.
  • guṇa-atītaḥ — transcendental to the modes
    Guṇa-atīta — across the modes. The chapter's keyword, delivered as the final descriptor of the eight-verse portrait. Ucyate (he is said to be) gives it the weight of a formal title: a person exhibiting these signs can rightly be called guṇa-atīta. The label Arjuna asked about in v. 21 is conferred here.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pāṇḍu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities – such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature.
Purport

Arjuna submitted three different questions, and the Lord answers them one after another. In these verses, Kṛṣṇa first indicates that a person transcendentally situated has no envy and does not hanker for anything. When a living entity stays in this material world embodied by the material body, it is to be understood that he is under the control of one of the three modes of material nature. When he is actually out of the body, then he is out of the clutches of the material modes of nature. But as long as he is not out of the material body, he should be neutral. He should engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord so that his identity with the material body will automatically be forgotten. When one is conscious of the material body, he acts only for sense gratification, but when one transfers the consciousness to Kṛṣṇa, sense gratification automatically stops. One does not need this material body, and he does not need to accept the dictations of the material body. The qualities of the material modes in the body will act, but as spirit soul the self is aloof from such activities. How does he become aloof? He does not desire to enjoy the body, nor does he desire to get out of it. Thus transcendentally situated, the devotee becomes automatically free. He need not try to become free from the influence of the modes of material nature. The next question concerns the dealings of a transcendentally situated person. The materially situated person is affected by so-called honor and dishonor offered to the body, but the transcendentally situated person is not affected by such false honor and dishonor. He performs his duty in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and does not mind whether a man honors or dishonors him. He accepts things that are favorable for his duty in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, otherwise he has no necessity of anything material, either a stone or gold. He takes everyone as his dear friend who helps him in his execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he does not hate his so-called enemy. He is equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level because he knows perfectly well that he has nothing to do with material existence. Social and political issues do not affect him, because he knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances. He does not attempt anything for his own sake. He can attempt anything for Kṛṣṇa, but for his personal self he does not attempt anything. By such behavior one becomes actually transcendentally situated.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

These are the symptoms of someone who has transcended. Can we imagine transcend these things if one is not in the mode of goodness? Is it possible for a person who has uncontrollable desires, to transcend these things? Would be possible to be equally situated when confronted with the desirable and undesirable? Praise and blame? It would be impossible. Wh speak of someone who is in the mode of ignorance. In order to transcend one has to be at least in the mode of goodness. The mode of goodness is not the end in itself, but one cannot transcend from the other modes. The symptoms described in this verse can be summarized in two words: equanimity or detachment. These qualities of transcendence are also very similar to those described in Chapter Thirteen (8‑12), and in Chapter Five. And also it sums up in Chapter Eighteen. Because the basic point about liberation and freedom from the modes of material nature and knowledge, is to be detached from the pushings and entanglements of these three modes of material nature. And in order to do that one has to give up his enjoyement spirit. The enjoying mood is that which attaches us to the modes of material nature. Therefore we have to become the servant and thus accep lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master as our shelter. We have to serve a spiritual master. If we don't serve we will think ourselves as the masters. And when we think we are the masters, immediatly the modes cover us, there will be no hope to transcend. But if we serve the spiritual master then, even if the modes are pushing us to satisfy our material desires, we will say 'no!, I am the servant of my spiritual master'. The second part of this Section C where the symptoms and the third part is more about how to transcend.

[3. One who unfailingly engages in full devotional service transcends the modes and comes to the Brahman platform, the constitutional position of happiness. Krsna is the source of that Brahman. (26‑27) ]

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

COMMON THEME: Answers to the first 2 questions – “Symptoms” and “Behavior”

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXTS 14.22 – 14.25

When one desires neither attainment of pleasure, nor escape from pain, he has transcended the modes of nature
The embodied soul will always undergo dualities of loss and gain, but the liberated soul can remain unaffected by these things due to focusing his identity within
Focus of Learning

(a) Symptoms of transcendence – Krishna first indicates that such a person is free from envy and

hankering

No desire for or repulsion from manifestations of the modes – Illumination, attachment, delusion – This statement implies that:
As long as one is in the body one has to act neutrally
Engage in devotional service so that identification with the body will be forgotten
One does not need this body nor need to accept the dictations of the body
Equiposed, transcendental and detached, knowing that the modes alone are active
How does the soul become aloof – He neither desires to enjoy the body, nor desires to go out of the body

(b) Behavior/Dealings of one transcendental to the modes

Steady in all circumstances
Praise and blame
Honor and dishonor
Happiness or distress
Desirable or undesirable
Deals equally with everyone and everything
Earth , Stone, Gold (Accepts whatever is favourable for his duty in Krishna consciousness)
Friend or enemy (Takes anyone who helps him in Krishna consciousness as dear friend and not hates so-called enemies)
Equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level / Social and politicial issues do not affect him
Knows that he has nothing to do with material existence
Knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances
Does not attempt anything for his own sake but can attempt anything for Krishna

(c) The basic point in terms of symptoms and behavior is the same: A soul who has become liberated

by cultivating knowledge of the modes of nature is detached from matter and the pushing of the

modes

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
14.22 Na dvesti, he neither dislikes these; prakasam, illumination (knowledge), an effect of sattva; pravrttim, activity, an effect of rajas; and moham, delusion, an effect of tamas; sampravrttani, when they appear, when they fully emerge in the form of objects (of experience)-. 'In me has arisen a perception which is a result of tamas; thery I have become deluded'; so also, 'In me has risen (the inclination to) action which is painful and is born of rajas. By that rajas I have been actuated, carried away from my own nature. This is a matter of sorrow to me that there has been a deviation from my own nature'; similarly, 'The ality of sattva, in the form of illumination that is knowledge, binds me by attributing discrimination to me and making me attached to happiness'-(by thinking) in these ways one dislikes them because of his being not fully enlightened. The person who has transcended the alities does not dislike them in this manner. Unlike a person having sattva etc., who longs for the effects of sattva etc. which withdraw themselves after becoming manifest to him, the person who has gone beyond the alities na kanksati, does not long for them in that way; nivrttani, when they disappear. This is the idea. This is not an indication that can be perceived by others. What then? Since this characteristic is perceivable to oneself, it is merely subjective. For dislike or longing, which is a subjective experience of a person, is not seen by another. Now, then, the Lord gives the reply to the estion, 'What is the behaviour of one who has gone beyond the alities?':
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
14.22 The Lord said He does not hate the effects of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas known as illumination, activity and delusion respectively, when they are prevailing in regard to undesired things other than the self; nor longs for them when they cease, i.e., when desired things other than the self become unavailable. Hating things not conducive to the realisations of the self and longing for things conducive thereof, do not come under this law stated in the Verse.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
14.22 Prakasam etc. Of course the illumination etc., do exist in all as their respective attributive marks. Yet, the men of Yoga do not rejoices in these illumination etc. Nor do they have any hatred [for them]. On the other hand, contemplating 'These exist as attributes merely of the body; and they are not capable of disturbing me.', these persons transcend the Strands. Hence [the Bhagavat] says -
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
14.22 The Blessed Lord said When light, activity and delusion are present, he hates them not, nor does he long for them when they are absent.
Commentary

14.22 प्रकाशम् light? च and? प्रवृत्तिम् activity? च and? मोहम् delusion? एव even? च and? पाण्डव O Arjuna? न not? द्वेष्टि hates? सम्प्रवृत्तानि (when) gone forth? न not? निवृत्तानि when absent? काङ्क्षति longs.Commentary This is the answer to Arjunas first estion. Light is the effect of Sattva? activity of Rajas and delusion of Tamas. The liberated sage does not hate them when they are present. When Sattva shines he is not carried away by pride. He does not think? I am a vey learned man. When the impulse for action is awakened in the body or when there is a divine call for him to do work for the solidarity of the world (Lokasangraha) he does not hate any action and he does not regret it after the action is accomplished. He feels no remorse while performing actions. The work is like the play of a child. While inertia increases in him? he is not deluded by infatuation.Only an ignorant man thinks Tamas has entered into me. I am deluded. I am under the influence of heedlessness? torpor? sloth? laziness and indolence. Now I am under the influence of Rajas. I am forced to do activities. This is painful. I have fallen from my true nature. This gives me a lot of pain. Now Sattva predominates in me. I am attached to happiness and knowledge. I am proud of my learning and better status.The liberated sage who has transcended the Gunas does not thus hate them when they are present.A man of Sattva or Rajas or Tamas longs for light? action or inertia which first manifested themselves and disappeared. But a liberated sage or one who has gone beyond the three alities does not at all long for these states which have vanished. This mark or characteristic is an internal mental state. It cannot be perceived or detected by others. It can be felt by ones own self alone. If one is endowed with clairvoyant vision or the inner eye of intuition? he can directly behold the longins that arise in the mind of another man.In the following three verses the Lord gives His answer to Arjunas second estion What is the conduct of the sage who has crossed over the Gunas

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
14.22 The Blessed Lord said O son of Pandu, he neither dislikes illumination (knowledge), activity and delusion when they appear, nor does he long for them when they disappear.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
14.22 Lord Shri Krishna replied: O Prince! He who shuns not the Quality which is present, and longs not for that which is absent;
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 2.55 BG 12.13 BG 6.9 SB 11.25.32 SB 3.25.21 SB 11.2.46 CC Madhya 23.106 CC Madhya 22.78 CC Antya 4.176 Īśa Upaniṣad 6 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.22
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Analogy

A man sitting on a hilltop watching weather move across the plain — clouds gather, rain falls, sun returns, mist lifts. He neither hates the rain nor longs for the sun. He notices that weather is happening and that he is not the weather. That hilltop posture is the eight-verse description compressed.

Stories
Jaḍa Bharata as the palanquin-bearer

After his deer-birth, Bharata took human form again as Jaḍa Bharata. He behaved as a dull-witted man on purpose, suffering insults and beatings without protest, eating whatever was given, refusing nothing, demanding nothing.

When King Rahūgaṇa conscripted him into carrying a palanquin and then rebuked him for poor service, Jaḍa Bharata answered with a discourse that revealed him as a fully realized guṇa-atīta. Equal in praise and abuse, equal in honor and dishonor, free from undertaking — the verses 22-25 are his portrait in advance.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura under punishment

Beaten in twenty-two marketplaces on the order of the Muslim Kazi, Haridāsa Ṭhākura did not stop chanting and held no resentment toward the men striking him. When the Kazi later begged forgiveness, Haridāsa offered it as easily as he had received the blows.

Māna and apamāna, mitra and ari — the verse's categories — had collapsed for him long before that beating. He sat in his own self (sva-stha), undisturbed by the weather. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta preserves the episode precisely for this teaching.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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