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BG 14.11 — 14.11 When through every gate (sense) in this body, the wisdom-light shines, then it may be known that Sattva is predominant.
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सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते |
ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ||१४-११||

sarvadvāreṣu dehe.asminprakāśa upajāyate . jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ||14-11||


14.11 When through every gate (sense) in this body, the wisdom-light shines, then it may be known that Sattva is predominant.

Word-by-word meanings

14.11 सर्वद्वारेषु through every gate (sense)? देहे in the body? अस्मिन् in this? प्रकाशः wisdomlight? उपजायते shines? ज्ञानम् knowledge? यदा when? तदा then? विद्यात् (it) may be known? विवृद्धम् (is) predominant? सत्त्वम्,Sattva? इति thus? उत indeed.Commentary When a particular ality becomes predominant? it reveals its distinctive characteristics in man. Just as jasmine scatters its fragrance far and wide? so also knowledge disseminates itself in all directions. Convert Tamas into Rajas and Raj

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

14.11 Yada, when; prakasah, the illumination-prakasa, illumination, is a function of the internal organ, intelligence; that itself is jnanam, knowledge; when this illumination called knowledge upajayate, radiates; asmin, in this; dehe, body; sarva-dvaresu, through all the doors-all the sense organs, (viz) ear etc., are the Self's doors of perception; through all those doors; tada, then; through this indication, viz the illumination that is knowledge, vidyat, one should know; iti, that; sattva has vivrddham, increased; uta, greatly [See A.G.-Tr.]. This is the characteristics of rajas when it has become prominent:

(Showing excerpt)

Swami Gambirananda

14.11 When the illumination that is knowledge radiates in this body through all the doors (of the senses), then one should know that sattva has increased greatly.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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