Chapter 14 Shloka 20

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।

जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते।।२०।।

The embodied Atma transcends the three gunas

from whence the body has arisen;

freed from the miseries of birth, death

and old age, he attains immortality.

Chapter 14 Shloka 20

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान्।

जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते।।२०।।

Describing the fruits of knowing the Atma to be a non-doer, the Lord says, O Arjuna!

The embodied Atma transcends the three gunas from whence the body has arisen; freed from the miseries of birth, death and old age, he attains immortality.

Little one, listen! Having known the qualities,

a) knowing their interplay,

b) knowing their crux,

c) knowing their supremacy,

d) knowing their inevitability,

e) knowing their predominance,

f) knowing that they are inanimate,

the jivatma or mortal being transcends those qualities, and uninfluenced by them, becomes a gunatit.

1. He thus abides in eternal bliss.

2. He becomes enriched with divine qualities.

3. He transcends duality.

4. He transcends both joy and sorrow.

Little one, the body originates from the threefold energy of Prakriti. Attachment to the three gunas and their influence creates the seeds of action and binds the mortal to the body self. The body is in fact the manifestation of these three gunas.

a) When the individual understands these gunas fully, he renounces attachment with them.

b) Having understood the gunas, the individual spontaneously relinquishes the thought of doership and enjoyership.

c) He then automatically renounces attachment with the body self.

He is not even attached then to the various phases of bodily existence and is thus emancipated from the anguish caused by birth, death, old age, disease etc. Thus he is established in eternal bliss and enjoys immortality.

Little one, he who realises the essence of the qualities to be gross and inanimate,

1. How will he ever be influenced by any qualities?

2. How will he blame others for the qualities they possess?

3. He will not develop attachment with others’ nor with his own qualities.

4. The mental reactions caused by the influence of qualities will cease.

5. All internal rebellion will cease.

6. No aberrations or turmoil will arise in the mind.

7. His mind will be free from excessive attachment and repulsion.

8. His mind-stuff will soon be purified.

Little one, such a one will automatically transcend all qualities and become a gunatit. He, whom no qualities can influence, will inevitably abide in eternal bliss. He will merge in the Supreme Brahm.