CONTINUED FROM Vol 2 ISSUE 8
How three modes of material nature bind the spirit soul to the body
Sattv or goodness, Rajas or passion, activity; and Tamas or ignorance, inertia — these three modes (Ropes, Gunas) of material Nature (Prakriti) fetter the eternal individual soul (Jeev) to the body, O Arjun. (14.05) Of these, the mode of goodness (Sattv) is illuminating and good, because it is pure. Sattv fetters the living entity (Jeev) by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless Arjun. (14.06)

Arjun, know that the mode of passion (Rajas) is characterized by intense craving and is the source of desire and attachment. Rajas binds the living entity (Jeev) by attachment to (the fruits of) work. (14.07) Know, O Arjun, that the mode of ignorance (Tamas) — deluder of the living entity (Jeev)— is born of inertia. Tamas binds Jeev by carelessness, laziness, and excessive sleep. (14.08) O Arjun, the mode of goodness attaches one to happiness (of learning and knowing the Eternal Being); the mode of passion attaches to action; and the mode of ignorance attaches to negligence by covering Self-knowledge. (14.09)

Characteristics of three modes of nature
Goodness prevails by suppressing passion and ignorance; passion prevails by suppressing goodness and ignorance; and ignorance prevails by suppressing goodness and passion, O Arjun. (14.10) When the light of Self-knowledge illuminates all the senses (or gates) in the body, then it should be known that goodness is predominant. (14.11) O Arjun, when passion is predominant; greed, activity, undertaking of selfish works, restlessness, excitement, etc. arise. (14.12) O Arjun, when inertia is predominant; ignorance, inactivity, carelessness, delusion, etc. arise. (14.13)

Three modes are also the vehicles of transmigration for the individual soul
One who dies when goodness dominates goes to heaven — the pure world of knowers of the Supreme. (14.14) One who dies when passion dominates is reborn attached to action (or the utilitarian type). One who dies in ignorance is reborn as a lower creature. (14.15) The fruit of good action is said to be beneficial and pure; the fruit of passionate action is pain; and the fruit of ignorant action is laziness. (14.16) Self-knowledge arises from the mode of goodness; greed arises from the mode of passion; and negligence, delusion, and slowness of mind arise from the mode of ignorance. (14.17) They who are established in goodness go to heaven; passionate persons are reborn in the mortal world; and the ignorant, abiding in the lowest mode of ignorance (Tamo Guna), go to lower planets or hell (or take birth as lower creatures). (14.18)

Attain Nirvan after transcending three modes of material nature
When visionaries perceive no doer other than the powers of Eternal Being — the modes (Gunas) of material Nature; and know That which is above and beyond these Gunas, then they attain salvation (Mukti). (See also 3.27, 5.09, and 13.29) (14.19) When one transcends (or rises above) the three modes of material Nature that create (and/or originate in) the body, one attains immortality or salvation (Mukti) and is freed from the pains of birth, old age, and death. (14.20)

The process of rising above the three modes
Arjun said: What are the marks of those who have transcended the three modes of material Nature, and what is their conduct? How does one transcend these three modes of material Nature, O Lord Krishn? (14.21) The Supreme Lord said: One transcends the mode of material Nature who neither hates the presence of enlightenment, activity, and delusion; nor desires for them when they are absent; who remains like a witness without being affected by the modes (Gunas) of material Nature (Prakriti); who stays firmly attached to the Lord without wavering — thinking that only the modes of material Nature (Gunas of Prakriti) are operating. (14.22-23) And one who depends on the Lord and is indifferent to pain and pleasure; to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are alike; to whom the dear and the unfriendly are alike; who is of firm mind; who is calm in censure and in praise, and indifferent to honor and disgrace; who is impartial to friend and foe; and who has renounced the sense of doership. (14.24-25)

Bonds of three modes can be cut by devotional love
One who offers service to Me with love and unswerving devotion transcends the three modes of material Nature and becomes fit for BrahmNirvan (See also 7.14 and 15.19) (14.26), because I am the basis of the immortal Eternal Being (Brahm), of everlasting order (Dharm), and of the absolute bliss (Aanand). (14.27)

THE SUPREME PERSON
Creation is like a tree created by the powers of Maya
The Supreme Lord said: They speak of the eternal banyan tree that has its origin above in the Supreme Being (ParBrahm) and its branches below in the cosmos, and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who understands this tree is a knower of the Vedas. (See also 10.08) (15.01) The branches of this cosmic tree of Maya (Illusion) spread all over the cosmos. The tree is nourished by three modes (Gunas) of material Nature (Prakriti); sense pleasures are its sprouts; and its roots of ego and desires stretch below in the human world, causing Karmic bondage. (15.02)

How to cut the tree of attachment and attain salvation by taking refuge in God
The real form of this tree is not perceptible here on earth, nor is its beginning, end, or existence. Having cut the firm roots — the desires — of this tree by the mighty ax of Self-knowledge and detachment; thus thinking: “I take refuse in that very primal person from which this primal manifestation comes forth”, seek that supreme abode from where one does not come back (to the mortal world) again. (15.03-04) The wise reach that eternal goal, who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who constantly dwell in the Supreme Self with all lust (Kaam) completely stilled, and who are free from dualities of pleasure and pain. (15.05) The sun does not illumine there, nor the moon, nor the fire. That is My supreme abode. Having reached there people do not come back (to the temporal world). (See also 13.17 and 15.12) (15.06)

The embodied soul is the enjoyer
The eternal individual soul (Jeevaatma) in the body of living beings is, indeed, My integral part. It associates with the six sensory faculties of perception — including the mind — and activates them. (15.07) Just as the air takes aroma away from the flower; similarly, the individual soul (Jeevaatma) takes the six sensory faculties from the physical body it casts off during death to the new physical body it acquires in reincarnation (by the power of Karm). (See also 2.13) (15.08) The living entity (Jeev) enjoys sense pleasures using six sensory faculties of hearing, touch, sight, taste, smell, and mind. The ignorant cannot perceive Jeev departing from the body, nor staying in the body and enjoying sense pleasures by associating with the modes of material Nature. But those who have the eye of Selfknowledge can see it. (15.09-10) The yogis, striving for perfection, behold the living entity (Jeev) abiding in their inner psyche (as consciousness), but the ignorant and those whose inner psyche is not pure; even though striving, do not perceive Him. (15.11)

Spirit is the essence of everything
Know the light energy to be Mine that comes from the sun and illumines the whole world, and is in the moon and in fire. (See also 13.17 and 15.06) (15.12) Entering the earth, I support all beings with My energy. Becoming the sap-giving moon, I nourish all the plants. (15.13) Becoming the digestive fire, I remain in the body of all living beings. Uniting with vital life forces (Praan and Apaan), I digest all types of food. (15.14) And I am seated in the inner psyche of all beings. Memory, Self-knowledge, and removal of doubts and wrong notions (about the Eternal Being by reasoning, or in trance (Samaadhi)) come from Me. I am, in truth, that which is to be known by the study of all the Vedas. I am, indeed, the author of the Vedant and the knower of the Vedas. (See also 6.39) (15.15)

What are the supreme spirit, spirit and the individual soul?
There are two entities (Purushas) in the cosmos: The changeable or temporal Divine Beings (Kshar Purush), and the unchangeable Eternal Being (Brahm, Akshar Purush). All created beings are subject to change, but the Eternal Being does not change. (15.16) There is another Supreme Personality of the Godhead (beyond both the temporal and the eternal) called the Absolute Reality or Paramaatma, who sustains both the temporal and the eternal (Kshar and Akshar) by pervading all three planetary spheres (Lokas) as the eternal Lord (Ishvar). (15.17)

Because I am beyond both the temporal (Kshar) and the eternal (Akshar); therefore, I am known in this world and in the Veda as the Supreme Being (ParBrahm, Paramaatma, Purushottam, the Absolute, Truth, Sat, Supersoul, etc.). (15.18) The wise, who truly understand Me as the Supreme Being (Purushottam), know everything and worship Me wholeheartedly, O Arjun. (See also 7.14, 14.26, and 18.66) (15.19) Thus, I have explained this most secret science of Self-knowledge (Taaratamya-vidyaa, Brahm-vidyaa) , O sinless Arjun. Having understood this, one becomes enlightened, and one’s all duties are accomplished, O Arjun. (15.20)