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नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति।गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति।।14.19।।

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 14, Verse 19
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
When the seer beholds no agent other than the Gunas and knows that which is higher than them, he attains to My Being.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: when the seer perceives no agent other than these three qualities, and knows that which is beyond the qualities, they attain Krishna's state, again tying real liberation to recognizing the qualities as the actual mechanism at play, rather than mistaking their effects for some deeper personal identity.

In life: a lot of harsh self-judgment comes from mistaking a temporary quality's effect, restlessness, confusion, dullness, for a permanent verdict about your actual character.

Teaching: the next time you're harshly judging yourself for a temporary state, restlessness, confusion, dullness, remind yourself this verse frames it as the qualities acting, not a verdict on some deeper, permanent identity underneath them.

nano
anyamother
guṇebhyaḥof the guṇas
kartāramagents of action
yadāwhen
draṣhṭāthe seer
anupaśhyatisee
guṇebhyaḥto the modes of nature
chaand
paramtranscendental
vettiknow
mat-bhāvammy divine nature
saḥthey
adhigachchhatiattain

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
14.19 न not? अन्यम् other? गुणेभ्यः than the Gunas? कर्तारम् agent? यदा when? द्रष्टा the seer? अनुपश्यति beholds? गुणेभ्यः than the alities? च and? परम् higher? वेत्ति knows? मद्भावम् My Being? सः he? अधिगच्छति,attains to.Commentary The Supreme Self is in no way contaminated by the alities. The liberated sage exclaims I am the witness of the alities. I am neither the enjoyer nor the doer. The alities form the motive power of all actions. I am beyond the Gunas. The Gunas alone are responsible for all actions. I am entirely distinct from the alities. I am pure consciousness. I cannot be touched by the alities. I am like the ether.When a man gets illumination or attains knowledge of the Self? when he realises that there is no agent except the Gunas which are themselves modified as the bodies? the senses and their objects? when he knows that it is the Gunas only that become the agent in all transformations? in all states and in all actions? and when he realises the Supreme Self Who is distinct from the Gunas? Who is the silent witness of the Gunas and their functions? he attains to My state (liberation)? i.e.? becomes identical with Me. He becomes a Gunatita? i.e.? one who has transcended the three Gunas.