Chapter 14
Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga
Last updated: 14 June 2026
गुणत्रय विभाग योग
Total Shlokas: 27~6 min readSanskrit + Multi-language Meanings
Script:
Shloka 1
श्री भगवानुवाच। परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः।।14.1।।
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Krishna declares He will again teach the supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the highest perfection.
Shloka 2
इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः। सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च।।14.2।।
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By resorting to this knowledge and attaining My nature, they are neither born at the time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution.
Shloka 3
मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम्। सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत।।14.3।।
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The great Brahman (Prakriti, material nature) is Krishna's womb, in which He places His seed. From this union of spirit and matter, all beings are born.
Shloka 4
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः। तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता।।14.4।।
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Whatever forms are produced in all wombs, the great Prakriti is their womb, and Krishna is the seed-giving father. God is the universal father of all life.
Shloka 5
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः। निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्।।14.5।।
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The three modes of material nature — Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance) — born of Prakriti, bind the imperishable soul to the body.
Shloka 6
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्। सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ।।14.6।।
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Of these, Sattva, being pure, is illuminating and free from disease. It binds by creating attachment to happiness and knowledge. Even goodness can become a subtle bondage.
Shloka 7
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्। तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्।।14.7।।
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Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to action and its results.
Shloka 8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्। प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत।।14.8।।
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Tamas, born of ignorance, is the deluder of all embodied beings. It binds through negligence, laziness, and sleep.
Shloka 9
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत। ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत।।14.9।।
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Sattva attaches one to happiness, Rajas attaches one to action, and Tamas, covering knowledge, attaches one to negligence and heedlessness.
Shloka 10
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत। रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा।।14.10।।
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Sometimes Sattva prevails, overcoming Rajas and Tamas; sometimes Rajas prevails, overcoming Sattva and Tamas; and sometimes Tamas prevails, overcoming Sattva and Rajas. The three modes constantly compete for dominance.
Shloka 11
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते। ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत।।14.11।।
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When the light of knowledge shines through all the gates (senses) of the body, then it should be known that Sattva is predominant.
Shloka 12
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा। रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ।।14.12।।
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When Rajas is predominant, greed, activity, undertaking of works, restlessness, and craving arise.
Shloka 13
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च। तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन।।14.13।।
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When Tamas is predominant, darkness, inactivity, negligence, and delusion manifest.
Shloka 14
यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्। तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते।।14.14।।
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If one dies when Sattva is predominant, one attains the pure higher worlds of those who know the highest. The mode at death influences the next birth.
Shloka 15
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते। तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते।।14.15।।
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Dying in Rajas, one is born among those attached to action. Dying in Tamas, one is born in the wombs of the deluded.
Shloka 16
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम्। रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम्।।14.16।।
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The fruit of sattvic action is pure and leads to goodness; the fruit of rajasic action is pain; and the fruit of tamasic action is ignorance.
Shloka 17
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च। प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च।।14.17।।
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From Sattva arises knowledge; from Rajas, greed; and from Tamas come negligence, delusion, and ignorance.
Shloka 18
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः। जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः।।14.18।।
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Those established in Sattva rise upward; those in Rajas remain in the middle; and those in Tamas, abiding in the lowest mode, sink downward.
Shloka 19
नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति। गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति।।14.19।।
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When the seer recognizes no doer other than the three modes of nature and knows the Supreme, who is beyond these modes, that person attains Krishna's divine nature.
Shloka 20
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्। जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते।।14.20।।
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When the embodied being transcends these three modes that originate in the body, it is freed from birth, death, old age, and sorrow, and attains immortality.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 (Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga) about?
Chapter 14, Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga, deals with the three gunas — sattva, rajas and tamas — and rising above them. It contains 27 verses and is part of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
How many verses are in Chapter 14 of the Bhagavad Gita?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 (Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga) has 27 shlokas (verses). On VedKosh each one is available with the original Sanskrit, transliteration, and meaning in Hindi and English.
What is the key teaching of Chapter 14?
The central teaching of Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga is the three gunas — sattva, rajas and tamas — and rising above them. Read it as part of the unfolding wisdom Krishna gives Arjuna to resolve his moral crisis and act with clarity.