The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond

Verse 1 (bhagavata.11.25.1)

श्रीभगवानुवाच गुणानामसम्मिश्राणां पुमान् येन यथा भवेत् । तन्मे पुरुषवर्येदमुपधारय शंसतः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca guṇānām asammiśrāṇāṁ pumān yena yathā bhavet tan me puruṣa-varyedam upadhāraya śaṁsataḥ

The Blessed Lord said: O best of men, hear this from Me and understand how a person comes to take on a particular nature through contact with the individual modes of nature, each considered separately.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.11.25.2)

शमो दमस्तितिक्षेक्षा तपः सत्यं दया स्मृतिः । तुष्टिस्त्यागोऽस्पृहा श्रद्धा ह्रीर्दयादिः स्वनिर्वृतिः ॥ २ ॥

śamo damas titikṣekṣā tapaḥ satyaṁ dayā smṛtiḥ tuṣṭis tyāgo 'spṛhā śraddhā hrīr dayādiḥ sva-nirvṛtiḥ

Control of the mind, control of the senses, tolerance, discernment, austerity, truthfulness, compassion, remembrance, contentment, renunciation, freedom from craving, faith, modesty, mercy and the like, and satisfaction within oneself — these are the marks of goodness.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.11.25.3)

काम ईहा मदस्तृष्णा स्तम्भ आशीर्भिदा सुखम् । मदोत्साहो यशःप्रीतिर्हास्यं वीर्यं बलोद्यमः ॥ ३ ॥

kāma īhā madas tṛṣṇā stambha āśīr bhidā sukham madotsāho yaśaḥ-prītir hāsyaṁ vīryaṁ balodyamaḥ

Desire, restless striving, intoxication with pride, craving, arrogance, longing for blessings, the sense of difference from others, sensory pleasure, feverish enthusiasm, love of fame, mockery, display of strength and eagerness for exertion — these are the marks of passion.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.11.25.4)

क्रोधो लोभोऽनृतं हिंसा याच्ञा दम्भः क्लमः कलिः । शोकमोहौ विषादार्ती निद्राशा भीरनुद्यमः ॥ ४ ॥

krodho lobho 'nṛtaṁ hiṁsā yācñā dambhaḥ klamaḥ kaliḥ śoka-mohau viṣādārtī nidrāśā bhīr anudyamaḥ

Anger, greed, falsehood, violence, begging, hypocrisy, exhaustion, quarrel, grief, delusion, sorrow, distress, excessive sleep, vain hope and the lack of effort born of fear — these are the marks of ignorance.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.11.25.5)

सत्त्वस्य रजसश्चैतास्तमसश्चानुपूर्वशः । वृत्तयो वर्णितप्रायाः सन्निपातमथो शृणु ॥ ५ ॥

sattvasya rajasaś caitās tamasaś cānupūrvaśaḥ vṛttayo varṇita-prāyāḥ sannipātam atho śṛṇu

Thus, in due order, I have for the most part described the activities of sattva, rajas and tamas. Now hear also of their combination.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.11.25.6)

सन्निपातस्त्वहमिति ममेत्युद्धव या मतिः । व्यवहारः सन्निपातो मनोमात्रेन्द्रियासुभिः ॥ ६ ॥

sannipātas tv aham iti mamety uddhava yā matiḥ vyavahāraḥ sannipāto mano-mātrendriyāsubhiḥ

My dear Uddhava, the notion of 'I' and 'mine' is itself where the three modes lie mixed together. And every ordinary transaction of this world, carried out through the mind, the objects of the senses, the senses, and the vital airs, is likewise this same mixture at work.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.11.25.7)

धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च यदासौ परिनिष्ठितः । गुणानां सन्निकर्षोऽयं श्रद्धारतिधनावहः ॥ ७ ॥

dharme cārthe ca kāme ca yadāsau pariniṣṭhitaḥ guṇānāṁ sannikarṣo 'yaṁ śraddhā-rati-dhanāvahaḥ

When a person becomes wholly devoted to religious duty, economic gain and sense pleasure, the faith, the attachment and the wealth that come to him through this are exactly this meeting and mingling of the modes.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.11.25.8)

प्रवृत्तिलक्षणे निष्ठा पुमान् यर्हि गृहाश्रमे । स्वधर्मे चानुतिष्ठेत गुणानां समितिर्हि सा ॥ ८ ॥

pravṛtti-lakṣaṇe niṣṭhā pumān yarhi gṛhāśrame sva-dharme cānu tiṣṭheta guṇānāṁ samitir hi sā

When a person, established in the life of the householder, holds firm to duty marked by worldly engagement and follows his own prescribed occupation accordingly, this too is that same combined state of the modes.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.11.25.9)

पुरुषं सत्त्वसंयुक्तमनुमीयाच्छमादिभिः । कामादिभी रजोयुक्तं क्रोधाद्यैस्तमसा युतम् ॥ ९ ॥

puruṣaṁ sattva-saṁyuktam anumīyāc chamādibhiḥ kāmādibhī rajo-yuktaṁ krodhādyais tamasā yutam

A person should be inferred to be dominated by goodness when qualities such as self-control are seen in him; by passion, when qualities such as desire are seen; and by ignorance, when qualities such as anger are present.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.11.25.10)

यदा भजति मां भक्त्या निरपेक्षः स्वकर्मभिः । तं सत्त्वप्रकृतिं विद्यात् पुरुषं स्त्रियमेव वा ॥ १० ॥

yadā bhajati māṁ bhaktyā nirapekṣaḥ sva-karmabhiḥ taṁ sattva-prakṛtiṁ vidyāt puruṣaṁ striyam eva vā

When any person — man or woman — worships Me with devotion through their prescribed duties, without expectation of any return, that person should be known to have the nature of goodness.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.11.25.11)

यदा आशिष आशास्य मां भजेत स्वकर्मभिः । तं रजःप्रकृतिं विद्यात् हिंसामाशास्य तामसम् ॥ ११ ॥

yadā āśiṣa āśāsya māṁ bhajeta sva-karmabhiḥ taṁ rajaḥ-prakṛtiṁ vidyāt hiṁsām āśāsya tāmasam

When a person worships Me through his duties in the hope of gaining some desired object, he should be known to have the nature of passion; and one who worships in the hope of doing violence should be known as one in ignorance.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.11.25.12)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणा जीवस्य नैव मे । चित्तजा यैस्तु भूतानां सज्जमानो निबध्यते ॥ १२ ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇā jīvasya naiva me citta-jā yais tu bhūtānāṁ sajjamāno nibadhyate

Goodness, passion and ignorance are qualities of the individual soul — never of Me. Arising within the mind, they bind the living being by making it attached to created things.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.11.25.13)

यदेतरौ जयेत् सत्त्वं भास्वरं विशदं शिवम् । तदा सुखेन युज्येत धर्मज्ञानादिभिः पुमान् ॥ १३ ॥

yadetarau jayet sattvaṁ bhāsvaraṁ viśadaṁ śivam tadā sukhena yujyeta dharma-jñānādibhiḥ pumān

When goodness — radiant, pure and auspicious — overcomes the other two modes, a person becomes endowed with virtue, knowledge and the like, and experiences happiness.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.11.25.14)

यदा जयेत्तमः सत्त्वं रजः सङ्गं भिदा चलम् । तदा दुःखेन युज्येत कर्मणा यशसा श्रिया ॥ १४ ॥

yadā jayet tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajaḥ saṅgaṁ bhidā calam tadā duḥkhena yujyeta karmaṇā yaśasā śriyā

When passion — the cause of attachment, of the sense of separateness, and of restlessness — overcomes goodness and ignorance, a person, striving after achievement, fame and prosperity, experiences suffering.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.11.25.15)

यदा जयेद् रजः सत्त्वं तमो मूढं लयं जडम् । युज्येत शोकमोहाभ्यां निद्रयाहिंसयाशया ॥ १५ ॥

yadā jayed rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamo mūḍhaṁ layaṁ jaḍam yujyeta śoka-mohābhyāṁ nidrayā hiṁsayāśayā

When ignorance — bewildering and stupefying — overcomes passion and goodness, a person becomes filled with grief and delusion, and gives himself over to excessive sleep, violence and vain hope.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.11.25.16)

यदा चित्तं प्रसीदेत इन्द्रियाणां च निर्वृतिः । देहेऽभयं मनोऽसङ्गं तत् सत्त्वं विद्धि मत्पदम् ॥ १६ ॥

yadā cittaṁ prasīdeta indriyāṇāṁ ca nirvṛtiḥ dehe 'bhayaṁ mano-'saṅgaṁ tat sattvaṁ viddhi mat-padam

When the mind grows clear, the senses find rest, the body knows fearlessness and the mind knows detachment, understand that to be the predominance of goodness — the state through which I may be attained.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.11.25.17)

विकुर्वन् क्रियया चाधीरनिवृत्तिश्च चेतसाम् । गात्रास्वास्थ्यं मनो भ्रान्तं रज एतैर्निशामय ॥ १७ ॥

vikurvan kriyayā cā-dhīr anivṛttiś ca cetasām gātrāsvāsthyaṁ mano bhrāntaṁ raja etair niśāmaya

The distortion of the intellect through excessive activity, the restlessness of the mind's tendencies that will not settle, an unhealthy state of the body's organs, and a mind that wanders in confusion — by these signs recognize passion.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.11.25.18)

सीदच्चित्तं विलीयेत चेतसो ग्रहणेऽक्षमम् । मनो नष्टं तमो ग्लानिस्तमस्तदुपधारय ॥ १८ ॥

sīdac cittaṁ vilīyeta cetaso grahaṇe 'kṣamam mano naṣṭaṁ tamo glānis tamas tad upadhāraya

When the mind sinks and dissolves, when it becomes incapable of grasping anything, when it collapses into weariness and gloom — understand this to be ignorance.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.11.25.19)

एधमाने गुणे सत्त्वे देवानां बलमेधते । असुराणां च रजसि तमस्युद्धव रक्षसाम् ॥ १९ ॥

edhamāne guṇe sattve devānāṁ balam edhate asurāṇāṁ ca rajasi tamasy uddhava rakṣasām

As the mode of goodness increases, the strength of the demigods grows; as passion increases, the strength of the demons grows; and, Uddhava, as ignorance increases, the strength of the wicked grows.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.11.25.20)

सत्त्वाज्जागरणं विद्याद् रजसा स्वप्नमादिशेत् । प्रस्वापं तमसा जन्तोस्तुरीयं त्रिषु सन्ततम् ॥ २० ॥

sattvāj jāgaraṇaṁ vidyād rajasā svapnam ādiśet prasvāpaṁ tamasā jantos turīyaṁ triṣu santatam

Understand that wakefulness arises from goodness, dreaming from passion, and dreamless sleep from ignorance. Pervading all three continuously is the fourth state, beyond the modes.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.11.25.21)

उपर्युपरि गच्छन्ति सत्त्वेन ब्राह्मणा जनाः । तमसाधोऽध आमुख्याद् रजसान्तरचारिणः ॥ २१ ॥

upary upari gacchanti sattvena brāhmaṇā janāḥ tamasādho 'dha ā-mukhyād rajasāntara-cāriṇaḥ

Through goodness, people of a learned, Vedic disposition rise higher and higher; through ignorance, they fall headlong lower and lower; and through passion, people simply wander back and forth in an intermediate state.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.11.25.22)

सत्त्वे प्रलीनाः स्वर्यान्ति नरलोकं रजोलयाः । तमोलयास्तु निरयं यान्ति मामेव निर्गुणाः ॥ २२ ॥

sattve pralīnāḥ svar yānti nara-lokaṁ rajo-layāḥ tamo-layās tu nirayaṁ yānti mām eva nirguṇāḥ

Those absorbed in goodness at death go to heaven; those absorbed in passion remain in the world of men; and those absorbed in ignorance go to hell. But those who are free of the modes altogether attain Me.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.11.25.23)

मदर्पणं निष्फलं वा सात्त्विकं निजकर्म तत् । राजसं फलसङ्कल्पं हिंसाप्रायादि तामसम् ॥ २३ ॥

mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā sāttvikaṁ nija-karma tat rājasaṁ phala-saṅkalpaṁ hiṁsā-prāyādi tāmasam

One's own work, offered to Me without regard for its fruit, is in the mode of goodness. Work done with a longing for its results is in passion. And work bound up mostly with violence is in ignorance.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.11.25.24)

कैवल्यं सात्त्विकं ज्ञानं रजो वैकल्पिकं च यत् । प्राकृतं तामसं ज्ञानं मन्निष्ठं निर्गुणं स्मृतम् ॥ २४ ॥

kaivalyaṁ sāttvikaṁ jñānaṁ rajo vaikalpikaṁ ca yat prākṛtaṁ tāmasaṁ jñānaṁ man-niṣṭhaṁ nirguṇaṁ smṛtam

Knowledge of absolute oneness is in goodness; knowledge grounded in duality is in passion; and merely material, superficial knowledge is called ignorance. But knowledge fixed upon Me alone is regarded as beyond the modes.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.11.25.25)

वनं तु सात्त्विको वासो ग्रामो राजस उच्यते । तामसं द्यूतसदनं मन्निकेतं तु निर्गुणम् ॥ २५ ॥

vanaṁ tu sāttviko vāso grāmo rājasa ucyate tāmasaṁ dyūta-sadanaṁ man-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam

Dwelling in a forest is said to be in goodness, dwelling in a town is said to be in passion, dwelling in a gambling house is in ignorance, and dwelling in My own abode is beyond the modes.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.11.25.26)

सात्त्विकः कारकोऽसङ्गी रागान्धो राजसः स्मृतः । तामसः स्मृतिविभ्रष्टो निर्गुणो मदपाश्रयः ॥ २६ ॥

sāttvikaḥ kārako 'saṅgī rāgāndho rājasaḥ smṛtaḥ tāmasaḥ smṛti-vibhraṣṭo nirguṇo mad-apāśrayaḥ

A worker free from attachment is said to be in goodness; one blinded by attachment is said to be in passion; one fallen from all discernment is in ignorance; and one who has taken refuge in Me is a worker beyond the modes.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.11.25.27)

सात्त्विक्याध्यात्मिकी श्रद्धा कर्मश्रद्धा तु राजसी । तामस्यधर्मे या श्रद्धा मत्सेवायां तु निर्गुणा ॥ २७ ॥

sāttviky ādhyātmikī śraddhā karma-śraddhā tu rājasī tāmasy adharme yā śraddhā mat-sevāyāṁ tu nirguṇā

Faith turned toward the inner self is in goodness; faith rooted in fruitive action is in passion; faith placed in unrighteous acts is in ignorance; and faith given to My service is beyond the modes.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.11.25.28)

पथ्यं पूतमनायस्तमाहार्यं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् । राजसं चेन्द्रियप्रेष्ठं तामसं चार्तिदाशुचि ॥ २८ ॥

pathyaṁ pūtam anāyastam āhāryaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam rājasaṁ cendriya-preṣṭhaṁ tāmasaṁ cārti-dāśuci

Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is said to be in goodness; food that is dearest to the senses is in passion; and food that is unclean and brings distress is in ignorance.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.11.25.29)

सात्त्विकं सुखमात्मोत्थं विषयोत्थं तु राजसम् । तामसं मोहदैन्योत्थं निर्गुणं मदपाश्रयम् ॥ २९ ॥

sāttvikaṁ sukham ātmotthaṁ viṣayotthaṁ tu rājasam tāmasaṁ moha-dainyotthaṁ nirguṇaṁ mad-apāśrayam

Happiness arising from the self is in goodness; happiness arising from sense objects is in passion; happiness arising from delusion and abasement is in ignorance; and happiness that takes shelter in Me is beyond the modes.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.11.25.30)

द्रव्यं देशः फलं कालो ज्ञानं कर्म च कारकः । श्रद्धावस्थाकृतिर्निष्ठा त्रैगुण्यः सर्व एव हि ॥ ३० ॥

dravyaṁ deśaḥ phalaṁ kālo jñānaṁ karma ca kārakaḥ śraddhāvasthākṛtir niṣṭhā trai-guṇyaḥ sarva eva hi

Substance, place, result, time, knowledge, action, the doer, faith, state of mind, bodily form and one's final destination — every one of these, without exception, is composed of the three modes.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.11.25.31)

सर्वे गुणमया भावाः पुरुषाव्यक्तधिष्ठिताः । दृष्टं श्रुतमनुध्यातं बुद्ध्या वा पुरुषर्षभ ॥ ३१ ॥

sarve guṇa-mayā bhāvāḥ puruṣāvyakta-dhiṣṭhitāḥ dṛṣṭaṁ śrutam anudhyātaṁ buddhyā vā puruṣarṣabha

O best of men, every state of being that rests upon the enjoying soul and the unmanifest material nature is made of the modes — whether it is seen, heard of, or merely contemplated by the intellect.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.11.25.32)

एताः संसृतयः पुंसो गुणकर्मनिबन्धनाः । येनेमे निर्जिताः सौम्य गुणा जीवेन चित्तजाः । भक्तियोगेन मन्निष्ठो मद्भावाय प्रपद्यते ॥ ३२ ॥

etāḥ saṁsṛtayaḥ puṁso guṇa-karma-nibandhanāḥ yeneme nirjitāḥ saumya guṇā jīvena citta-jāḥ bhakti-yogena man-niṣṭho mad-bhāvāya prapadyate

Gentle Uddhava, all these different courses of transmigration arise from the bondage of work born of the modes. The soul who has conquered these modes, born as they are of the mind, becomes fixed on Me through devotional service and attains My own state of being.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.11.25.33)

तस्माद् देहमिमं लब्ध्वा ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्भवम् । गुणसङ्गं विनिर्धूय मां भजन्तु विचक्षणाः ॥ ३३ ॥

tasmād deham imaṁ labdhvā jñāna-vijñāna-sambhavam guṇa-saṅgaṁ vinirdhūya māṁ bhajantu vicakṣaṇāḥ

Therefore, having obtained this human body — through which knowledge and its direct realization become possible — the wise should shake off all attachment to the modes and worship Me alone.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.11.25.34)

निःसङ्गो मां भजेद् विद्वानप्रमत्तो जितेन्द्रियः । रजस्तमश्चाभिजयेत् सत्त्वसंसेवया मुनिः ॥ ३४ ॥

niḥsaṅgo māṁ bhajed vidvān apramatto jitendriyaḥ rajas tamaś cābhijayet sattva-saṁsevayā muniḥ

The wise sage should worship Me free of all attachment, alert and with senses subdued, and should conquer passion and ignorance by taking shelter in goodness alone.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.11.25.35)

सत्त्वं चाभिजयेद् युक्तो नैरपेक्ष्येण शान्तधीः । सम्पद्यते गुणैर्मुक्तो जीवो जीवं विहाय माम् ॥ ३५ ॥

sattvaṁ cābhijayed yukto nairapekṣyeṇa śānta-dhīḥ sampadyate guṇair mukto jīvo jīvaṁ vihāya mām

Then, established in devotion and with a mind grown tranquil, he should conquer even goodness itself through indifference to the modes. Thus freed from the modes, the soul lets go of its very condition as a bound living being and attains Me.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.11.25.36)

जीवो जीवविनिर्मुक्तो गुणैश्चाशयसम्भवैः । मयैव ब्रह्मणा पूर्णो न बहिर्नान्तरश्चरेत् ॥ ३६ ॥

jīvo jīva-vinirmukto guṇaiś cāśaya-sambhavaiḥ mayaiva brahmaṇā pūrṇo na bahir nāntaraś caret

Freed altogether from the bondage of individual selfhood and from the modes born of the conditioned mind, the soul, made whole by Me, the Absolute, no longer wanders seeking anything outside itself, nor dwells upon such seeking within.