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Chapter 14 · The Three Modes of Material Nature · 27 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 14 · The Three Modes of Material Nature
14.1014.12

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 14.11

How goodness, passion and ignorance bind

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते ।

ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥ ११ ॥

sarva-dvāreṣu dehe ’smin

prakāśa upajāyate

jñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād

vivṛddhaṁ sattvam ity uta

Translation

The manifestation of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Signs of Goodness

  1. 1The mode of goodness is shown when knowledge lights up all the gates of the body.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that the body has nine gates. In goodness, one sees, hears and tastes things rightly.
  3. 3Other signs of goodness are cleanliness inside and outside, and happiness at every gate.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 14, The Three Modes of Material Nature: how goodness, passion and ignorance bind.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 14.11 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 14 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 14.5How goodness, passion and ignorance bindBG 14.6How goodness, passion and ignorance bindBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 14.11 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.