ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः । प्रोच्यते गुणसंख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि
Knowledge, action, and agent are declared to be threefold according to the distinction of qualities; hear these as they are explained in the enumeration of qualities.
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते । अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्विकं
That knowledge by which one sees the single, imperishable essence in all beings, undivided in the divided—know that to be sattvic.
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् । वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्
But the knowledge by which one perceives various entities of different kinds as separate in all beings—know that to be rajasic.
यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् । अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तासममुदाहृतम्
And that which, clinging to a single effect as if it were the whole, is irrational, without real basis, and limited—such knowledge is called tamasic.
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् । अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्विकमुच्यते
Action that is prescribed, performed without attachment, without desire or aversion, by one seeking no reward—that is called sattvic.
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म ताहङ्कारेण वा पुनः। क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम्
But action performed with desire, or with self-conceit, or with much effort—that is called rajasic.
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् । मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते
Action undertaken out of delusion, disregarding consequences, loss, harm, or one's own ability—that is called tamasic.
मुक्तसङ्गोनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्विक उच्यते
One who is free from attachment and ego, endowed with resolve and enthusiasm, unchanged in success or failure—such an agent is called sattvic.
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः । हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः
The agent who is passionate, seeking the fruits of action, greedy, violent, impure, subject to joy and sorrow—is called rajasic.
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैकृतिकोऽलसः । विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते
Unrefined, vulgar, arrogant, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating—the agent is called tamasic.
बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं श्रृणु । प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनंजय
Hear, O Dhananjaya, the threefold distinction of intellect and resolve according to qualities, as I declare them fully and separately.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये । बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्विकी
That intellect which knows the path of engagement and withdrawal, what ought to be done and what ought not, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation—that, O Partha, is sattvic.
यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च । अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी
That intellect by which one incorrectly understands righteousness and unrighteousness, what should be done and what should not—that, O Partha, is rajasic.
अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता। सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी
That intellect, O Partha, which, enveloped in darkness, regards unrighteousness as righteousness and perceives all things in a perverted way—that is tamasic.
धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्रणेन्द्रियक्रियाः । योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्विकी
That firmness by which one sustains the activities of the mind, the life-force, and the senses, through unwavering yoga, O Partha, is called sāttvic firmness.
यया तु धर्मकामार्धान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन । प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी
But the firmness by which, O Arjuna, one holds fast to duty, desire, and wealth, seeking their fruits with attachment, that firmness, O Partha, is said to be rājasic.
यथा स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं भदेमेव च । न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी
That firmness by which a person of confused understanding does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despondency, and even delusion, O Partha, is declared to be tāmasic.
सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रुणु मे भारतर्षभ । अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति
Now hear from me, O best of the Bharatas, the threefold happiness, in which one delights through practice and by which suffering comes to an end.
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्। तत्सुखं सात्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्
That which, in the beginning, is like poison but in the end resembles nectar, that happiness is declared to be sāttvic, born from the clarity of self-understanding.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपभम् । परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्
That happiness which arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, which at first seems like nectar but in the end is like poison, is known as rājasic.
यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः । निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्ताभसमुदाहृतम्
That happiness which, both at the beginning and in its result, deludes the self, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence, is said to be tāmasic.
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः । सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेमिः स्यात्रिभिर्गुणैः
There is no being on earth or even among the gods in heaven that is free from these three qualities born of nature.
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप । कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः
O scorcher of foes, the duties of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras are divided according to the qualities arising from their own nature.
शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च । ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, patience, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith—these are the natural duties of a brāhmaṇa.
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् । दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्
Valor, vigor, firmness, skill, not fleeing in battle, generosity, and lordliness—these are the natural duties of a kṣatriya.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् । परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्
Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the natural duties of a vaiśya; service is the natural duty of a śūdra.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरत्तः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु
A person attains perfection by being devoted to their own duty; hear how one engaged in their own work attains perfection.
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां योन सर्वमिदं ततम्। स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवःक
From whom all beings arise, by whom all this is pervaded—by worshipping Him through one's own work, a person attains perfection.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्विषम्
Better is one's own duty, though imperfect, than another's duty well performed; performing the work prescribed by one's own nature, one does not incur sin.
सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् । सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः
One should not abandon the work born of one's own nature, O son of Kunti, even if it is flawed; for all undertakings are enveloped by faults, as fire is by smoke.