Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14, Verse 21

Chapter 14 – Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

अर्जुन उवाच ।
कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो ।
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca .
kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho .
kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate ॥

Meaning

Arjuna said: O Lord, by what marks is one known who has gone beyond these three gunas? What is his conduct? And how does he transcend these three gunas?

Word meanings

अर्जुन उवाच – Arjuna said
कैः – by what
लिङ्गैः – marks, signs
त्रीन् – three
गुणान् – the gunas
एतान् – these
अतीतः – having transcended
भवति – is (known)
प्रभो – O Lord
किमाचारः – of what conduct
कथम् – how
च – and
एतान् – these
त्रीन् गुणान् – three gunas
अतिवर्तते – goes beyond, transcends

Anvaya (word order)

अर्जुनः उवाच — प्रभो, एतान् त्रीन् गुणान् अतीतः कैः लिङ्गैः (युक्तः) भवति? किम् आचारः (भवति)? कथं च एतान् त्रीन् गुणान् अतिवर्तते?

Explanation

Hearing of the state beyond the gunas and its fruit of immortality, Arjuna asks three precise questions. They show both the depth and the practicality of his inquiry: he wants not only the theory but the signs of the goal and the way to reach it.

The first question is kair lingaih: by what marks is such a person recognised? The second is kim-acharah: what is his conduct, how does he live in the world? The third is katham ... ativartate: how does he cross beyond the gunas, by what means?

These questions mirror those Arjuna asked about the sthita-prajna, the person of steady wisdom, in Chapter 2 (2.54), where he wished to know how such a person speaks, sits and moves. This makes clear that the Gita's ideal person, whether called the one of steady wisdom, the devotee or the one beyond the gunas, is essentially the same.

The address prabho, 'O Lord', expresses Arjuna's faith and humility; he approaches Krishna as the all-powerful master. In the following verses (22 to 26) Krishna answers all three questions in turn.

Context

The previous verse said that transcending the gunas brings immortality; hearing this, Arjuna asks his questions. In the next five verses Krishna describes the marks, the conduct and the means of the one who is beyond the gunas.

Life lesson

A true seeker is not satisfied merely with praise of the goal. He asks how to recognise it, how it looks in daily life and how to reach it. Make your questions clear and practical.

Key terms

Linga: Mark, distinguishing sign
Achara: Conduct, way of living
Gunatita: One who has transcended the three gunas