205. Gunas: Slavery to Mastery
A fter explaining that the three gunas (modes of nature) of satva , rajo and tamo bind the atma (soul) with the physical body, Krishna mentions about transcending these gunas to become guna-atheeth or nirgun (sans gunas ). Immediately, Arjuna enquires about the signs that distinguish the person who has transcended the gunas ; his conduct and how does he go beyond these three guna s (14.21). Krishna says, “Illumination (symbolizing satva ), activity ( rajo ) and ignorance ( tamo ), he hates not when present nor longs for them when absent (14.22). He who, remaining like one unconcerned, is not disturbed by gunas ; who, realising that only gunas are operating throughout creation, is firm and centred in the Self” (14.23). Firstly, this is neither attachment ( raag or aasakti ) nor detachment ( viraag or virakti ) with any manifestations of gunas. Krishna earlier used veet-raag or anaasakti to describe such an eternal state. Secondly, in a similar situation, Krishna earlier...