Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 40

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः ।
सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥

Transliteration

na tadasti pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ .
sattvaṃ prakṛtijairmuktaṃ yadebhiḥ syāttribhirguṇaiḥ ॥

Meaning

There is no being on earth, or again in heaven among the gods, that is free from these three gunas born of nature.

Word meanings

न – not
तत् – that
अस्ति – is
पृथिव्याम् – on earth
वा – or
दिवि – in heaven
देवेषु – among the gods
वा – or
पुनः – again
सत्त्वम् – being, entity
प्रकृतिजैः – born of nature
मुक्तम् – free
यत् – which
एभिः – from these
स्यात् – may be
त्रिभिः – three
गुणैः – gunas

Anvaya (word order)

पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः तत् सत्त्वं न अस्ति यत् एभिः प्रकृतिजैः त्रिभिः गुणैः मुक्तं स्यात् ।

Explanation

This verse concludes the analysis of the gunas. Krishna has shown the threefold nature of six things — knowledge, action, doer, intellect, fortitude and happiness. Now he draws the conclusion: on earth among humans, in heaven, and even among the gods — nowhere is there any being or thing free from these three gunas. All of nature, and every existence made of nature, is composed of a mixture of sattva, rajas and tamas.

The statement teaches two things. First, no one is purely sattvic, purely rajasic or purely tamasic; every person contains all three in differing proportions, and these proportions keep shifting (14.10). So we should not permanently label others by a single guna. Second, even the gods are bound by the gunas — so heaven too is not the final goal.

How then is freedom possible? In Chapter 14 Krishna described the state of the gunatita, the one who transcends the gunas (14.19–26). Freedom from the gunas means rising above them — knowing that 'I' am the witness of the gunas, not their doer — and this is attained through unswerving devotion to the Lord (14.26). The analysis of the gunas is given so that the seeker may first move from tamas and rajas towards sattva, and then pass beyond even sattva to be established in the Supreme.

This verse also bridges to the next subject, the duties of the four varnas. Shankara notes that from here Krishna will show how people's natural duties are divided according to the gunas, and how through those very duties the way to freedom from the gunas opens.

Context

The preceding verses (18.20–39) described the threefold classification of knowledge, action, doer, intellect, fortitude and happiness. This verse is their conclusion. From the next verse (18.41) Krishna explains that the duties of brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras are divided according to the gunas born of their nature.

Life lesson

No one is perfect — everyone contains all three gunas, so be patient and compassionate with others and with yourself. Strive to increase sattva within, but make rising beyond the gunas your final aim. Heaven and pleasures are temporary; only the Supreme is lasting.

Key terms

Triguna: The three qualities of nature — sattva, rajas, tamas
Prakritija: Born of nature
Sattva (here): A being or entity
Gunatita: One established beyond the three gunas