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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
14.1814.20

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 14.19

Seeing and transcending the guṇas

नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।

गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भ‍ावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥ १९ ॥

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ

yadā draṣṭānupaśyati

guṇebhyaś ca paraṁ vetti

mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigacchati

Translation

When one properly sees that in all activities no other performer is at work than these modes of nature and he knows the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental to all these modes, he attains My spiritual nature.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Beyond the Modes of Nature

  1. 1One who sees that the modes of nature perform all activities and knows the Supreme Lord beyond them attains His spiritual nature.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that a genuine spiritual master helps us understand our spiritual position and become firmly fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  3. 3Learn from those fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and surrender to Kṛṣṇa to become free from the modes’ control.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 14, The Three Modes of Material Nature: seeing and transcending the guṇas.

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 14.19 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

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 14.20Seeing and transcending the guṇasBG 14.21Seeing and transcending the guṇasBG 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 14.19 — 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.