Verse-5
Chapter 14 — Gunatreyavibhag Yoga
Verse 5
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
sattvaṁ rajastama iti guņāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavvavam
🕉 English Translation
Paida huye guna yeh maya se hee, Satoguna,
rajoguna, tamoguna sabhi.
Deh mein jo avinashi jeevatma,
Arjun! Yeh guna bandhein usko vahan
📜 Translation
English
O Arjun! The qualities born of Nature-satva (purity) rajas (passion) and tamas (inertia)-all three bind the imperishable dweller to the body.
From this verse the content of the chapter denoted by its title, the three-fold classification of the qualities, starts becoming evident. The qualities are three-satoguna, rajoguna and tamoguna. That all three of them have originated from Nature-it is definite. The works and effects of all three are varied, which has been analyzed in detail further in the chapter. But it is also clear that all three qualities put the imperishable being into bondage-
It is surprising that how the qualities are able to bind the imperishable being to the body. In fact the qualities do not have the capacity to bind in themselves. When the being, not being centred in the self, is drawn to Nature then due to the activities of the qualities and due to attachment to results produced by these qualities he falls into bondage.
Which quality binds in what way? In the ensuing three verses is described this very fact-