Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 28

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥

Transliteration

tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ .
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ॥

Meaning

But the knower of the truth about the division of the gunas and their actions, O mighty-armed, understanding that the gunas move among the gunas, does not become attached.

Word meanings

तत्त्ववित् – the knower of truth
तु – but
महाबाहो – O mighty-armed
गुणकर्मविभागयोः – of the division of gunas and actions
गुणाः – the gunas (senses and so on)
गुणेषु – among the gunas (objects)
वर्तन्ते – operate
इति – thus
मत्वा – knowing
न सज्जते – is not attached

Anvaya (word order)

महाबाहो, तु गुणकर्मविभागयोः तत्त्ववित् 'गुणाः गुणेषु वर्तन्ते' इति मत्वा न सज्जते ।

Explanation

The previous verse gave the outlook of one deluded by ego; here is the outlook of the knower of truth. He knows ‘guna-karma-vibhaga’ — the distinction of the Self from the gunas and their functions. The senses, mind and body are made of Nature's gunas and move among sense objects; the Self is only the witness.

‘Gunah gunesu vartante’ is a profound formula. Senses operate in their objects, mind in its resolves, intellect in its decisions — and I am the witness of all. With this knowledge a person, though acting, is not submerged in action. Shankara takes it as clear knowledge of the Self's non-doership. For Ramanuja the knower of truth sees that the soul is distinct from Nature and that actions are not part of its essential nature.

Attachment cannot remain under this view, since attachment rests on ‘my doing’ and ‘my gaining’. Once it is clear that these are Nature's play and not mine, the mind becomes naturally detached.

This detachment is not indifference but full presence together with inner freedom.

Context

After describing in 3.27 the egoistic notion of doership, the Lord states the view of the knower of truth in 3.28. Verse 3.29 will again show the relation between the ignorant and the wise.

Life lesson

Practise seeing events without tying them to ‘I’: body, senses and mind are doing their work and I am the witness. This keeps skill in action while reducing strain.

Key terms

Tattvavit: one who knows the real nature
Guna-karma-vibhaga: the distinction of the Self from gunas and their action
Sakshi-bhava: witnessing action without attachment