Bhagavad Gita 7.12ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये।मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि ॥
ye chaiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāśh cha
ye matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṁ teṣhu te mayi
Sanskrit recitation
The divine inside ordinary nature · 7.1–7.14 · Teaching
Translation
Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active, and inert, know that they proceed from Me. They are in Me, yet I am not in them.
Hindi translation
(और तो क्या कहूँ) जितने भी सात्त्विक, राजस और तामस भाव हैं, वे सब मुझ से ही होते हैं -- ऐसा समझो। पर मैं उनमें और वे मेरेमें नहीं हैं।
Meaning
This is a world of the three Gunas, viz., Sattva (purity), Rajas (passion) and Tamas (inertia). All sentient and insentient objects are the aggregate of these three alities of Nature. One quality predominates in them and the predominant quality imparts to the object its distinctive character or definite properties.In the gods, sages milk and green gram, Sattva is predominant. In Gandharvas (a class of celestials), kings, warriors and chillies, Rajas is predominant. In demons, Sudras, garlic, onion and meat, Tamas is predominant.Though these beings and objects proceed from Me, I am not in them they are in Me. I am independent. I am the support for them they depend on Me just as the superimposed snake depends on the rope. The snake is in the rope, but the rope is never in the snake. The waves belong to the ocean but the ocean does not belong to the waves. (Cf.IX.4and6)
After Swami Sivananda
The divine inside ordinary nature· 7.1–7.14→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 7.1The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, hear how you shall, without doubt, know Me fully, with…
- 7.2I will declare to you in full this knowledge combined with realization, after knowing…
- 7.3Among thousands of men, one may perchance strive for perfection; even among those…
- 7.4Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and egoism—thus is My Nature divided…
- 7.5O mighty-armed Arjuna, this is the inferior Prakriti; know it as distinct from My higher…
- 7.6Know that these two are the womb of all beings; thus, I am the source and dissolution of…
- 7.7There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna. All this is strung on Me, like clusters of gems…
- 7.8I am the flavor in water, O Arjuna; I am the light in the moon and the sun; I am the…
- 7.9I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and the brilliance in the fire, the life in all…
- 7.10Know Me, O Arjuna, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the…
- 7.11Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment, and in all beings, I am…
7.12Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active, and inert, know that they proceed…
- 7.13Deluded by these Natures, composed of the three qualities of Nature, all this world does…
- 7.14Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, composed of the three qualities, is difficult to…
Word-by-word→
- na
- not
- te
- they
- tu
- but
- ye
- whatever
- cha
- and
- eva
- certainly
- iti
- thus
- aham
- I
- mayi
- in me
- tān
- those
- viddhi
- know
- teṣhu
- in them
- mattaḥ
- from me
- bhāvāḥ
- states of material existence
- rājasāḥ
- in the mode of passion
- tāmasāḥ
- in the mode of ignorance
- sāttvikāḥ
- in the mode of goodness
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- 7.21Whatever form any devotee desires to worship with faith, I make that same faith of his…
- 11.7Now, behold, O Arjuna, in this My body, the entire universe centered in one, including the…
- 16.21There are three gates to this hell, destructive of the self: lust, anger, and greed;…
- 12.13He who hates no creature, is friendly and compassionate to all, is free from attachment…