Canto
11
Canto
11
Chapter 25: The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond
(30) And thus the material substance, the place, the fruit of action, the time, the knowledge, the activity, the performer, the faith, the state of consciousness and the species and destinations of life all belong to the three gunas. (31) All states of existence, whether seen, heard or pictured in one's mind, are, being composed of the gunas, regulated and guarded by the enjoyer who is of a subtle nature, o best among men [see also linga]. (32) These forms of existence [and stages of life] of the enjoyer result from the karma one has with the modes of nature. O gentle one, the modes that manifest themselves in the mind are conquered by the individual soul who is dedicated to Me in bhakti-yoga. Such a soul qualifies for My transcendental love. (33) For that reason they who obtained this human body should be as smart to discard the modes and worship Me, the source of knowledge and wisdom. (34) A learned and unbewildered man of wisdom should worship Me free from attachment and, with his senses under control taking to the mode of goodness, conquer the modes of passion and ignorance. (35) And also the mode of goodness he must conquer thus being connected [in devotion]. The individual whose intelligence found peace in being indifferent about the modes, is liberated from them by giving up on that what constituted the cause of the covering of his soul and reaches Me. (36) The living entity who as an individual soul by Me thus was liberated from the modes of nature that nestled in his mind, thus finds, by dint of the Absolute Truth, the completeness and must no longer wander, nor to the internal nor to the external of his existence.'
Second edition, loaded August 1 2009
Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:
The Supreme Lord said: 'O best of persons, try to understand what I'm about to say about the way someone is influenced by a certain mode of My material nature [*].The Supreme Lord said: 'O best of persons, try to understand this what I say on how and by which of the modes of nature in their pure state [*] a person is influenced. (Vedabase)
With the mode of goodness one finds equanimity, sense control, tolerance, discrimination, penance, truthfulness, compassion, remembrance, contentment, renunciation, freedom from desire, faithfulness, modesty and pleasure within. With the mode of passion there is lust, endeavor, conceit, dissatisfaction, false pride, the quest for blessings, separatism, sense-gratification, rashness, love of praise, ridicule, display of valor and hard sanctioning. With the mode of ignorance one runs into intolerance, greed, deceitfulness, violence, attention seeking [in particular with women], hypocrisy, listlessness, quarrel, lamentation, delusion, the suffering of depression, sloth, false expectations, fear and indolence. These I one after the other described, constitute the majority of effects of the modes. Now learn about their combinations [see also B.G. 14].
To the mode of goodness there are: equanimity, sense control, tolerance, discrimination, penance, truthfulness, compassion, remembrance, contentment, renunciation, freedom from desire, faithfulness, modesty and finding pleasure within. To the mode of passion there are: lusts, endeavor, conceit, dissatisfaction, false pride, the quest for blessings, separatism, sense-gratification, rashness, love of praise, ridicule, display of valor and hard sanctioning. To the mode of ignorance there are: intolerance, greed, deceitfulness, violence, attention seeking [in particular with women], hypocrisy, listlessness, quarrel, lamentation, delusion, the suffering of depression, sloth, false expectations, fear and indolence. These, one after the other described, make up the greater part of the functions of the modes; now hear of their combinations [see also B.G. 14]. (Vedabase)
The notion that people have of 'I' and 'mine' o Uddhava, is in fact based upon a combination of the modes. The normal activities of their mind, senses and vital airs in relation to their sense objects are ruled by the modes [see also 11.23: 49, 11.24: 7, 11.24: 13].
O Uddhava, the ordinary activities in the mentality of 'I' and 'mine' are there so from their combination, just as the activities of the mind, the senses, their objects and the vital airs are there as a combination of them [see also 11.23: 49, 11.24: 7, 11.24: 13]. (Vedabase)
When a person is fixed in his religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, the resultant faith, wealth and enjoyment is also a display of the interaction of the different modes.
When the person is fixed in religiosity, economic development and sense gratification brings each of the modes intermingling to this the faith, wealth and enjoyment. (Vedabase)
In case someone as a householder [rajas] is of a devotion that is characterized by a materially motivated practice [tamas] and he as a consequence thereof sticks to his [religious] duties [sattva] is one clearly dealing with a combination of modes.
When a person in family-life stands out with dedication [rajas] on the path of material enjoyment [tamas] and later on gets established in religiosity [sattva] is this indeed a combination of the modes. (Vedabase)
From a person his calm one can tell that he is endowed with goodness, his lust is indicative of the mode of passion and from his anger one may conclude that he is caught in ignorance.
From a person his calm can be derived that he is endowed with goodness, from his lust that he is in passion and from his anger that he is caught in ignorance. (Vedabase)
When someone, with the fulfillment of his duties, worships Me irrespective the results, such a man, or woman also, should be understood as being established in the nature of goodness.
When one worships Me with devotion independent of the results should such a man, or woman just as well, be understood as being of the nature of goodness. (Vedabase)
When one with one's duties worships Me hoping for benedictions such devotion should be understood as being of the nature of passion, and when one does it with the intention to be violent is one of ignorance [see also B.G. 17: 20-22].
When one by his duties worships Me hoping for benedictions should that be understood as being of the nature of passion, and with the intention to cause harm as being of ignorance [see also B.G. 17: 20-22]. (Vedabase)
One may conclude that the modes of sattva, tamas and rajas relate to the individual soul and not to Me; one is bound to them because they, the way they manifest in the mind, lead to one's attachment to material results [see also B.G. 4: 14].
The modes of sattva, tamas and rajas so relate to the individual soul and not to Me; one is bound up to them as they, manifesting in the mind, lead to the attachment to material effects [see also B.G. 4: 14]. (Vedabase)
When the mode of goodness - which is pure, luminous and auspicious - predominates over the other two, a man will be graced with happiness, religiosity, knowledge and other good qualities [see also B.G. 14: 11, 18: 37].
When the mode of goodness - which is pure, luminous and auspicious - predominates over the others, will a man be graced with happiness, religiosity, knowledge and other good qualities [see also B.G. 14: 11, 18: 37]. (Vedabase)
When passion defeats both goodness and ignorance one is caught in fruitive labor, in defending one's reputation and in being opulent, because one then out of one's attachment is of separatism and impermanence and thus unhappy [see also B.G. 14: 12, 18: 38].
When passion conquers over both goodness and ignorance is one, then being of attachment, separatism and change, caught in fruitive labor, for having a good name and being opulent [see also B.G. 14: 12, 18: 38]. (Vedabase)
When ignorance outdoes passion and goodness one has lost one's discrimination, one's consciousness is covered, one loses one's initiative and one lands in bewilderment and complaining, with sleeping too much, violence and false hopes [see also B.G. 14: 13, 18: 39]
When darkness conquers over passion and goodness is one's discrimination defeated, one's consciousness covered, loses one initiative and lands one in lamentation and bewilderment, with sleeping too much, violence and false hopes [see also B.G. 14: 13, 18: 39]. (Vedabase)
When one's consciousness clears up and the senses are no longer distracted, one is physically self-confident and of a detached mind; in that case one may speak of the goodness of My refuge.
When the mind clears up and the senses no longer distract is there fearlessness with the body and detachment of the mind; know that as the goodness of My position. (17) Passion you should recognize by these symptoms: the intelligence is disturbed by too much activity, one fails to disengage from one's senses, one is not at ease with one's body and the mind is unsteady. (Vedabase)
Passion you can recognize by the following symptoms: the intelligence is disturbed by too much activity, one fails to disengage from one's senses, one is not at ease with one's body and the mind is unsteady.
Passion you should recognize by these symptoms: the intelligence is disturbed by too much activity, one fails to disengage from one's senses, one is not at ease with one's body and the mind is unsteady. (Vedabase)
Failing in the higher functions of consciousness, growing dull, being unable to focus, losing one's mind, groping in the dark and being gloomy you should understand to be of the mode of ignorance.
Failing in the higher functions of consciousness, spacing out, unable to focus, to have one's mind ruined, groping in the dark and being gloomy you should understand as being of the mode of ignorance. (Vedabase)
With an increase of the mode of goodness the strength of the God-conscious increases, with an increase of passion the unenlightened get stronger and when the mode of ignorance increases, o Uddhava, the wild man steps forward.
With the mode of goodness rising increases the strength of the godly with the increase of passion do the unenlightened gain strength and when the mode of ignorance increases, o Uddhava, does the wild man step forward. (Vedabase)
Know that the wakeful state of consciousness is there by the mode of goodness, that sleep is indicative of passion, that the deep of sleep is there by the ignorance of the living entity, while the fourth state [turîya, the transcendental] pervades the three [see also 7.7: 25 and B.G. 6: 16].
Know that the wakeful state of consciousness is there by the mode of goodness, that sleep is indicative of passion, that the deep of sleep is there by the ignorance of the living entity, while the fourth state [the transcendental] pervades the three [see also 7.7: 25 and B.G. 6: 16]. (Vedabase)
In the mode of goodness spiritual persons reach higher and higher, in the mode of ignorance one goes, head first, lower and lower and in the mode of passion one is stuck in between [see also B.G. 6: 45, 16: 19].
By the mode of goodness go persons of spirituality higher and higher, by the mode of ignorance goes one head first lower and lower and by the mode of passion remains one in between [see also B.G. 6: 45, 16: 19]. (Vedabase)
Those who die in goodness go to heaven, those who die in passion go to the human world and those who die in ignorance go to hell. They however who are free from the modes come to Me [see also B.G. 9: 25, 14: 18].
) Those who die in goodness go to heaven, those who die in passion go the human world and those who die in ignorance go to hell; they however who are free from the modes come to Me [see also B.G. 9: 25, 14: 18]. (Vedabase)
Work dutifully done as a sacrifice for Me without desiring the results is in the mode of goodness, work done with an expectation of some result is in the mode of passion and when one engages with violence or jealousy and such, one is of the mode of ignorance [B.G. 17: 20-22].
Work as an offer to Me dutifully done without desiring the results is in the mode of goodness, work done in expectation of some result is in the mode of passion and that what one does with violence and such is in the mode of ignorance [B.G. 17: 20-22]. (Vedabase)
Knowledge in the mode of goodness is emancipatory [of enlightenment], of passion one is opinionated and in ignorance one is of a materialistic conviction. Spiritual knowledge on the other hand that is focussed upon Me is considered to be free from the modes [see also 6.14: 2].
Knowledge in the mode of goodness is of emancipation [of enlightenment], of passion is it opinionated and in ignorance is it materialistic while the spiritual knowledge concentrated upon Me is considered as being free from the modes [see also 6.14: 2]. (Vedabase)
To have one's residence in the forest [to be a recluse] is of the mode of goodness, to reside among man [family] is of passion one says, and to reside in a gambling house is of the mode of ignorance, but My residence is above the modes [see also 7.12: 22, 11.18: 25].
Having one's residence in the forest [to be a recluse] is of the mode of goodness, to reside among man [family] is of passion one says, and to reside in a gambling house is of the mode of ignorance, but My residence is above the modes [see also 7.12: 22, 11.18: 25]. (Vedabase)
A worker free from attachment is of the mode of goodness, blinded by personal desire one is a man of passion, and a performer who lost his vision one considers a man of ignorance [see 11.22: 38-39]. He [though] who has taken shelter of Me is free from the modes.
A worker free from attachment is of the mode of goodness, blinded by personal desire is one a man of passion, and a performer in ignorance is he considered who fell away from the remembrance [see 11.22: 38-39]; he who has taken shelter of Me [though] is free from the modes. (Vedabase)
Being of the soul one's faith is of goodness, but being of passion one has put faith in fruitive activities, in karma. To be irreligious is of the mode of ignorance, but that faith which is of service to Me is transcendental to the modes.
Of the soul is the faith in goodness, but of passion is the faith in fruitive action; irreligion is of the mode of ignorance, but that faith which is in service of Me is transcendental to the modes. (Vedabase)
Beneficial, pure and attained effortlessly is food considered to be of the mode of goodness, [strongly] catering to the senses it is of the mode of passion and impure foodstuff which makes one suffer is of ignorance [see also B.G. 17: 7-10].
Beneficial, pure and attained effortlessly is food considered as of the mode of goodness, [strongly] catering to the senses is it of the mode of passion and of ignorance considers one impure foodstuffs which make one suffer [see also B.G. 17: 7-10]. (Vedabase)
Happiness derived from the soul is of the mode of goodness but generated from sense objects it is of passion. Happiness derived from delusion and depravity is of ignorance, but the happiness that is free from the modes one finds in Me [see 11.15: 17 & B.G. 5: 21, but also 6: 7].
Happiness derived from the soul is of the mode of goodness but generated from sense objects is it of passion; of the mode of ignorance is the happiness derived from delusion and depravity, but the happiness free from the modes is found in Me [see 11.15: 17 & B.G. 5: 21, but also 6: 7]. (Vedabase)
And thus the material substance, the place, the fruit of action, the time, the knowledge, the activity, the performer, the faith, the state of consciousness and the species and destinations of life all belong to the three gunas.
And so do all these of the substance, the place, the fruit, the time, the knowledge, the activity, the performer, the faith, the state of consciousness and the species and destinations of life belong to the three gunas. (Vedabase)
All states of existence, whether seen, heard or pictured in one's mind, are, being composed of the gunas, regulated and guarded by the enjoyer who is of a subtle nature, o best among men [see also linga].
All states of existence, whether seen, heard or imagined with the intelligence, are, composed of the gunas, established and maintained by the enjoyer subtle of nature, o best among men [see also linga]. (Vedabase)
These forms of existence [and stages of life] of the enjoyer result from the karma one has with the modes of nature. O gentle one, the modes that manifest themselves in the mind are conquered by the individual soul who is dedicated to Me in bhakti-yoga. Such a soul qualifies for My transcendental love.
The individual by whom, o gentle one, these modes of nature are conquered - that connected with the karma as the successive states of existence of a living being as [these three groups of] qualities manifest in the mind - attains, in bhakti-yoga dedicated to Me, by the love he has for Me. (Vedabase)
For that reason they who obtained this human body should be as smart to discard the modes and worship Me, the source of knowledge and wisdom.
Therefore should, having obtained this body, this source of knowledge and wisdom, the clever ones in worship of Me shake it off to partake of the modes. (Vedabase)
A learned and unbewildered man of wisdom should worship Me free from attachment and, with his senses under control taking to the mode of goodness, conquer the modes of passion and ignorance.
The sage, the man of learning, should, free from the partaking of, unbewildered having subdued his senses, in service of the goodness conquer the passion and the ignorance. (Vedabase)
And also the mode of goodness he must conquer thus being connected [in devotion]. The individual whose intelligence found peace in being indifferent about the modes, is liberated from them by giving up on that what constituted the cause of the covering of his soul and reaches Me.
Being connected should he also, free from depending on it, conquer the goodness so that he, with his intelligence pacified in being liberated from the gunas, as an individual soul giving up on the cause of his being conditioned, achieves Me. (Vedabase)
The living entity who as an individual soul by Me thus was liberated from the modes of nature that nestled in his mind, thus finds, by dint of the Absolute Truth, the completeness and must no longer wander, nor to the internal nor to the external of his existence.'
The living entity as an individual soul by Me thus liberated from the modes of nature that nestled in his mind is so complete by the Absolute Truth and should wander nor to the internal nor to the external [of life anymore].' (Vedabase)
* The word nature can also be taken literally as the modes in the sense of the seasons and their primary demigods. Krishna says that Vishnu, who is the original controller above the modes, the best of the gods [10.89: 14-17], is of the goodness [11.15: 15], the purest mode [B.G. 14: 6], leading to the godliness of Him [B.G. 14: 14] and that of the seasons He is the season of spring [B.G. 10: 35]. As such is autumn/spring His season of balance and of the mode of goodness. The same way the inertia of cold is representative for the mode of ignorance that is ruled by S'iva and the hyperactivity and heat of the summer is a display of the mode of passion that is ruled by Brahmâ.
For
this original translation was used the Vedabase of the BBT offering
the work
that Svâmi Prabhupâda's pupils did to complete his
translation of the Bhâgavatam.
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
The picture is titled: 'Brahmâ, Vishnu and Shiva' seated on
lotuses with their consorts,
Saraswati, Lakshmi and Paravati respectively. ca 1770. Guler,
India.
source: V&A
Museum.
Production: Filognostic
Association
of The
Order of Time
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