न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः | सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ||१८-४०||
na tadasti pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ .
sattvaṃ prakṛtijairmuktaṃ yadebhiḥ syāttribhirguṇaiḥ ||18-40||
There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods, that is liberated from the three qualities born of Nature.
In simple words
Krishna states a universal truth: "There is no being anywhere — not on earth, not in heaven, not among the gods — that is free from these three forces of nature. Everyone is touched by them."
नnotतत्thatअस्तिisपृथिव्याम्on the earthवाorदिविin heavenदेवेषुamong the godsवाorपुनःagainसत्त्वम्beingप्रकृतिजैःborn of Prakriti (matter)मुक्तम्freedयत्whichएभिःfrom these
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
Swami Sivananda
18.40 न not? तत् that? अस्ति is? पृथिव्याम् on the earth? वा or? दिवि in heaven? देवेषु among the gods? वा or? पुनः again? सत्त्वम् being? प्रकृतिजैः born of Prakriti (matter)? मुक्तम् freed? यत् which? एभिः from these? स्यात् may be? त्रिभिः from three? गुणैः by alities.Commentary The Gunas form the warp and woof of everything as threads do in the case of cloth.Here in the world of mortals or there in the heavenworld? there is no creature that is not bound by the three alities of Nature. Can there be a cloth without threads Can there be a man without blood and bones Can there be a mountain without stones Even so there is not a single creature in the whole universe into whose composition the three alities of matter do not enter. The whole of creation is wrought of these three alities. They have given rise to the Trinity (Brahma? Vishnu and Siva). In the world of mortals the triplicity of agent? action and fruit owe their origin to them. They are the cause of the different functions of the four castes. This Samsara has been compared to the peepul tree in chapter XV.1. This Samsara is made up of the three alities and is kept up by the force of ignorance.Action? instruments of action and fruits have set the wheel of Samsara in motion and this wheel is revolving from beginningless time. It is only a liberated sage who has attained knowledge of the Self who puts a check to this wheel? goes beyond the cause and the effect? and breaks the bonds of Karma.Cut this mysterious tree of Samsara with the strong sword of nonattachment? transcend the three Gunas and rest in your own essential divine nature as ExistenceKnowledgeBliss Absolute.
Swami Chinmayananda
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
With the verse cited above (BG 18.40), the discussion of the influence of the three gunas upon all beings—and particularly upon human personality—comes to completion. Throughout this entire section, a psychological explanation has been provided for the diversity of personalities among different human beings and the variety of their conduct. Human beings have been described through an extensive analysis of knowledge, action, the doer, intellect, and steadfastness. The sole purpose of this section is to guide us. Through its study, we are able to understand our own condition and our inner and outer conduct clearly.
If we find ourselves in the category of the rajasic or tamasic nature, then as seekers of self-development, we should immediately become alert and strive to attain steadfastness in the sattvic guna. Let it be remembered—and I repeat this—that all the classifications mentioned above are not for the purpose of judging others, but for self-examination and self-discipline.
The reason for describing these three gunas is that there exists no being in the entire universe—on earth or in heaven—that is free from these three gunas of nature. Nature itself is constituted of these three gunas. Therefore, all beings born from nature are endowed with these qualities. No individual can act in the world by transcending the boundaries of these three gunas.
Yet no two beings conduct themselves identically in the external world. The reason for this is the difference in the proportion of these three gunas within each being. This three-fold nature is called maya in Vedanta—it grants each individual a unique personality and all beings remain subject to it.
In each cup of tea, there are three constituent elements: the essence of tea, milk, and sugar. Yet when these three are mixed in different proportions in different cups, the taste of the tea in those cups will also vary. Only the person who realizes the transcendent Self beyond the three gunas can recognize the one Supreme Being who pervades all. Only such a person can perceive this universe of name and form as the divine play of the Supreme. Therefore, every day, every moment, we should engage in self-examination to understand our condition. We should strive to rise above the rajasic and tamasic states and establish ourselves in the sattvic guna. Only when we attain steadfastness in pure sattvic guna can we become capable of experiencing the Self that transcends the gunas.
On the basis of these three gunas, Lord Sri Krishna has classified all human beings into three categories: the sattvic, the rajasic, and the tamasic. In Hindu scriptures, based on the predominance of gunas, human beings have been divided into four categories, known as the four varnas. This classification, being applicable to all humanity, has universal relevance and is not limited merely to India. This four-fold division is not based on hereditary qualities or the circumstances of birth, but rather on the specific qualities of each individual. The following table will clarify this division.
This division is universal and eternal. In modern language, these four varnas can be named as follows: (1) the thinkers—those who engage in creative thought; (2) the politicians; (3) the merchant class; and (4) the laboring class. One clear observation can be made here: how the wage-earning laborer fears his employer-master (the merchant), the merchant class remains apprehensive of politicians, and politicians are fearful of bold and independent-thinking thinkers. In the context of the supreme dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna, there is a purpose in describing the four varnas. Lord Sri Krishna wishes to make Arjuna understand that he belongs to the warrior varna and therefore, it is not befitting for him to flee from a righteous war. His duty is to uphold and protect dharma. Without attaining the nature of the brahmins—that is, the predominance of sattva—he cannot successfully practice meditation. Thus, for Arjuna, there remains only one means of destroying desires: the fulfillment of his duty as a warrior.
In the verses that follow, a detailed discussion of varna-ashrama dharma is presented. Here we describe the duties suited to the dharma obtained from one's nature and to one's ashrama—that is, one's stage of life (brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa).