Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 19

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ताच त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः ।
प्रोच्यते गुणसङ्ख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि ॥

Transliteration

jñānaṃ karma ca kartāca tridhaiva guṇabhedataḥ .
procyate guṇasaṅkhyāne yathāvacchṛṇu tānyapi ॥

Meaning

Knowledge, action and the doer are declared in the science of the gunas to be of three kinds only, according to the distinction of the gunas. Hear about them also as they truly are.

Word meanings

ज्ञानम् – knowledge
कर्म – action
च – and
कर्ता – doer
च – and
त्रिधा – of three kinds
एव – only
गुणभेदतः – according to the distinction of gunas
प्रोच्यते – is declared
गुणसङ्ख्याने – in the science that enumerates the gunas
यथावत् – as they are, duly
शृणु – hear
तानि – them
अपि – also

Anvaya (word order)

गुणसङ्ख्याने ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च गुणभेदतः त्रिधा एव प्रोच्यते; तानि अपि यथावत् शृणु ।

Explanation

The previous verse named the components of action. Krishna now announces that three of them — knowledge, action and doer — will be classified according to the gunas. Guna-sankhyana means the science that enumerates and analyses the gunas, namely Kapila's Sankhya philosophy. Krishna accepts its authority in analysing the gunas, though on the ultimate reality the Gita holds its own view.

With this a long section of the chapter begins (18.20–40), in which six things — knowledge, action, doer, intellect, fortitude and happiness — are each shown to be threefold. Chapter 17 classified faith, food, sacrifice, austerity and charity in the same way; this section extends that analysis. The aim is that the seeker should be able to recognise sattva, rajas and tamas in every aspect of life.

Such recognition has great practical value. When a person knows which guna colours his knowledge, actions or character, he can move from tamas towards rajas, from rajas towards sattva, and finally beyond even sattva to the state that transcends the gunas. Yathavat shrinu — 'hear them as they truly are' — suggests that what follows is a mirror for self-examination.

Context

The previous verse named the components of the impulse and basis of action. This verse introduces their analysis by the gunas. The next three verses (18.20–22) describe sattvic, rajasic and tamasic knowledge.

Life lesson

Learn to view your knowledge, actions and personality in the mirror of the gunas. What is recognised can be changed. Honest self-examination is the first instrument of self-improvement.

Key terms

Guna-sankhyana: The science that analyses the gunas — Sankhya
Guna-bheda: Distinction according to sattva, rajas and tamas
Triguna: The three qualities of nature — sattva, rajas, tamas