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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
14.714.9

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 14.8

How goodness, passion and ignorance bind

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।

प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्‍नाति भारत ॥ ८ ॥

tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi

mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām

pramādālasya-nidrābhis

tan nibadhnāti bhārata

Translation

O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

The Mode of Ignorance

  1. 1The mode of darkness comes from ignorance. It deludes living beings and binds the soul through madness, laziness and sleep.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that ignorance blocks clear understanding. People neglect the eternal spirit while working hard to gather money.
  3. 3Take interest in spiritual understanding rather than neglecting it through laziness or excessive sleep.

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.

Three modes

Ignorance leads to delusion and inertia.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 14.8 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 14.7How goodness, passion and ignorance bindBG 14.26Devotion transcends the guṇas

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

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Ask about BG 14.8 — 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.