नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥ १९ ॥
nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyati
guṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati
श्लोक १९: जब जिज्ञासु जीव को पता चलता है कि हमारे सभी कर्मों के पीछे तीन गुण ही होते हैं और कुछ नहीं तथा वे ईश्वर, जो इन तीन गुणों से परे है, उनको समझ लेते हैं, तब वे मेरी दिव्य प्रकृति को प्राप्त कर लेते हैं।
Shloka 19: When the seer realizes that no agent exists behind all our actions except for the three gunas and understands the one Supreme who is superior to the gunas, they then attain My divine nature.
Bhagavad Gita verse 14.19 reveals a profound truth about the nature of action and our relationship to it. In this verse, Lord Krishna explains that when a person truly sees that no performer other than the three modes of nature (gunas) is at work in all activities, and simultaneously recognizes the Supreme Lord who transcends these modes, they attain Krishna's spiritual nature.
The verse presents a revolutionary perspective on action: it is not the soul that acts, but rather the gunas themselves that are the agents of all activities. When we identify with our body and mind, we mistakenly believe we are the doers of actions. However, the enlightened person understands that all physical, mental, and verbal activities are simply the interplay of sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance).
This realization represents a fundamental shift in consciousness. The seer first needs to subdue rajas and tamas, establishing themselves in pure sattva through proper nourishment and performing actions solely to please the Lord. From this purified state, they can perceive that the gunas themselves are the agents of action according to their nature, while simultaneously recognizing what transcends the gunas – the self who is not an agent of action.
It's similar to understanding that we are not the body but the consciousness witnessing the body's activities. The enlightened person sees themselves as the witness standing apart from the activities of the modes of nature. This witness consciousness is what Krishna refers to as being "superior to the qualities" or "transcendental to the modes".
This verse marks a critical turning point in spiritual development. When one realizes they are not the doer but merely a witness to the actions performed by the modes of nature, they break free from the false identification with matter. This understanding liberates one from the entanglement in the consequences of actions, which is the root cause of continued material existence.
What makes this teaching so powerful is that it offers a practical path to freedom. By cultivating the awareness that we are distinct from the modes of nature that drive all material activities, we begin to detach from the endless cycle of action and reaction. We stop identifying with our changing moods, thoughts, and desires, recognizing them as simply movements of the gunas rather than our true self.
Ultimately, this verse reveals that true freedom comes not from controlling or escaping the world, but from a profound shift in perspective. When we see clearly that all actions are performed by nature's qualities while simultaneously recognizing the Supreme Lord who transcends these qualities, we attain Krishna's spiritual nature. This realization doesn't require renouncing the world but rather seeing it through enlightened eyes – eyes that perceive the distinction between the temporary dance of material energy and our eternal spiritual identity.
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