Bhagavad Gita - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda, this episode is part of a series of talks that unfold the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of the Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of God". Chapter 14 is devoted to an understanding of the Gunatreya Vibhaga Yoga, or the three qualities/components of Maya. The entire universe is created by a projection of the three gunas - satva, rajas, and tamas. Understanding the science of the three gunas and how we can apply it to our lives is the focus of Chapter 14.In this episode, Swami Sarvapriyananda explains verses 16-20 of Chapter 14.-------------------------Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 16कर्मण: सुकृतस्याहु: सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् |रजसस्तु फलं दु:खमज्ञानं तमस: फलम् || 16||karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalamrajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam⧫ The result of righteous actions is said to be satvica and pure, the result of rajas is pain, while ignorance is the result of tamasBhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 17सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च |प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च || 17||sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva chapramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha⧫ From satva results knowledge, from rajas only greed, and from tamas nothing but inadvertence, delusion, and ignorance.Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 18ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसा: |जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसा: || 18||ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥjaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ⧫ Those who abide in satva go upward to the higher spheres, the rajasica dwell in the middle spheres, and the tamasica, dwelling in the function of the lower gunas, go down to the lowest spheres.Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 19नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति |गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति || 19||nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyatiguṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati⧫ When the seer beholds no active agent other than the gunas and knows that which is beyond the gunas, he attains My beingBhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 20गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् |जन्ममृत्युजरादु:खैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्रुते || 20||guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavānjanma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute⧫ Having transcended these three gunas, which are the cause of this body (and mind), the embodied self, bereft of birth, death, old age, and misery, attains immortality

Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda, this episode is part of a series of talks that unfold the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of the Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of God". In this episode, Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches chapter 14, verses 6 -10 of the Bhagavad Gita. Chapter 14 is devoted to an understanding of the Gunatreya Vibhaga Yoga, or the three qualities/components of Maya. The entire universe is created by a projection of the three gunas - satva, rajas, and tamas. Understanding the science of the three gunas and how we can apply it to our lives is the focus of Chapter 14.____________Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 6:तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् |सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ || 6||tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayamsukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha⧫ Satva, on account of its stainlessness, is luminous and free from evil. Oh, sinless one [Arjuna], it binds the embodied self by attachment to happiness and knowledge Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 7:रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् |तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् || 7||rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavamtan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam⧫ Know rajas to be of the nature of passion, the source of desire and attachment, oh son of Kunti, it binds fast the embodied self by attachment to action.Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 8:तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् |प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत || 8||tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehināmpramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata⧫ But know tamas to be born of ignorance and deluding all embodied beings, it binds fast, oh descendant of Bharata, through inadvertence, laziness, and sleep.Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 9:सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रज: कर्मणि भारत |ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तम: प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत || 9||sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhāratajñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta⧫ Satva binds one to happiness, rajas, oh descendant of Bharata, binds one to work, while tamas, by covering knowledge, binds one to inadvertenceBhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 10:रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत |रज: सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तम: सत्त्वं रजस्तथा || 10||rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhāratarajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā⧫ Satva manifests, oh descendant of Bharata, as overpowering rajas and tamas, rajas manifests overpowering satva and tamas, and likewise tamas manifests overpowering satva and rajas

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches verses 1-5 from the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 14 Verse 1:श्रीभगवानुवाच |परं भूय: प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् |यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनय: सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गता: || 1||śhrī-bhagavān uvāchaparaṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣhyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamamyaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ⧫ The Divine Lord said: I shall once again explain to you the supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge; by knowing which, all the great saints attained the highest perfection.Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 14 Verse 2:इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागता: |सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च || 2||idaṁ jñānam upāśhritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥsarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha⧫ Those who take refuge in this wisdom will be united with Me. They will not be reborn at the time of creation nor destroyed at the time of dissolution.Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 14 Verses 3 & 4:मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् |सम्भव: सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत || 3||सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तय: सम्भवन्ति या: |तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रद: पिता || 4mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy ahamsambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhāratasarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥtāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā⧫ The total material substance, prakṛiti, is the womb. I impregnate it with the individual souls, and thus all living beings are born. O son of Kunti, for all species of life that are produced, the material nature is the womb, and I am the seed-giving Father.Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 14 Verse 5:सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणा: प्रकृतिसम्भवा: |निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् || 5||sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥnibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam⧫ O mighty-armed Arjun, the material energy consists of three guṇas (modes)—sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). These modes bind the eternal soul to the perishable body.

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Verses 26-28 from the Thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 26:यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् |क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ||26||yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamamkṣhetra-kṣhetrajña-sanyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣhabha ||26||🔴 O thou the best of the Bharata clan! Whatever there is born - whether moving or unmoving - it has come into being due to the union of Ksetra (body) and Ksetrajna (spirit).🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 27:समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् |विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं य: पश्यति स पश्यति ||27||samaṁ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu tiṣhṭhantaṁ parameśhvaramvinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati ||27||🔴 He really sees who perceives the Supreme Lord alike in everything -- as the Imperishable Substance abiding amidst perishing phenomena.🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 28:समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् |न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् || 28||samaṁ paśhyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam īśhvaramna hinasty ātmanātmānaṁ tato yāti parāṁ gatim || 28||🔴 For, he who perceives the Lord's presence alike everywhere no longer works against his own spiritual well-being (by mistaking the ego for the true spiritual Self as men in ignorance do). He therefore attains to the Supreme Goal.

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Verses 22-23 from the Thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 22:उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वर: |परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुष: पर: ||22||Upadraṣhṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśhvaraḥparamātmeti chāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣhaḥ paraḥ ||22||🔴 In this body there is also the Transcendent and the Supreme Spirit, who is described as the Supreme Self and Sovereign Lord, the unconcerned Witness, the Sanctioner, the Supporter, and the Enjoyer.🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 23:य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणै: सह |सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ||23||Ya evaṁ vetti puruṣhaṁ prakṛitiṁ cha guṇaiḥ sahasarvathā vartamāno ’pi na sa bhūyo ’bhijāyate ||23||🔴 Whoever thus knows the Purusa (Spirit) and Prakriti (Nature) along with its effects, will never be born again, whatever be his mode of living.

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Verse 17 from the Thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 17:ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमस: परमुच्यते |ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् ||17||Jyotiṣhām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyatejñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛidi sarvasya viṣhṭhitam ||17||🔴 The self-luminous light of consciousness revealing even all that is luminous, He is beyond obscuration by the darkness of ignorance. He, the light of knowledge, He, the quest of knowledge, He, the way to whom is knowledge -- in the inner-most recess of all beings is He established.

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Verse 15 from the Thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 15:बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च |सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ||15||Bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva chasūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat ||15||🔴 He is within and without all beings. Though unmoving, He looks like one moving (because He is everywhere). He is both far and near. - far to the ignorant and near to the knowing ones. Owing to subtlety, He cannot be known like gross objects.

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches Verses 11-12 from the Thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of "The Song of God".🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 11:अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् |एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा ||11||adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśhanametaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā ||11||🔴 Constant application to the study of spiritual texts and practice of spiritual disciplines, and a clear comprehension of the goal of spiritual enlightenment and the destiny of man - all these described before constitute knowledge; what is opposed to it is all ignorance.🔆 Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 Verse 12:ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्रुते |अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ||12||jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛitam aśhnuteanādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate ||12||🔴 I shall now declare the object which ought to be known, by knowing which one attains to immortality. It is the Supreme Brahman, the eternal Being who cannot be described either as existent or non-existent (in the way sense-bound material objects are described)