Bhagavad Gita chapter 14 in English and Sanskrit

Chapter 14, 27 verse records. English translation by Shri Purohit Swami, with Swami Sivananda used where identified in the source dataset.

The Gita is traditionally described as 700 verses. This source edition contains 701 records because chapter 13 includes 35 verses; verse numbering differs between editions.

Bhagavad Gita 14.1

"Lord Shri Krishna continued: Now I will reveal unto the Wisdom which is beyond knowledge, by attaining which the sages have reached Perfection.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

श्रीभगवानुवाच | परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् | यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः ||१४-१||

śrībhagavānuvāca . paraṃ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṃ jñānamuttamam . yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṃ siddhimito gatāḥ ||14-1||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.2

Dwelling in Wisdom and realising My Divinity, they are not born again when the universe is re-created at the beginning of every cycle, nor are they affected when it is dissolved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः | सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ||१४-२||

idaṃ jñānamupāśritya mama sādharmyamāgatāḥ . sarge.api nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti ca ||14-2||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.3

The eternal Cosmos is My womb, in which I plant the seed, from which all beings are born, O Prince!

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् | सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ||१४-३||

mama yonirmahad brahma tasmingarbhaṃ dadhāmyaham . sambhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tato bhavati bhārata ||14-3||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.4

O illustrious son of Kunti! Through whatever wombs men are born, it is the Spirit Itself that conceives, and I am their Father.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः | तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ||१४-४||

sarvayoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ . tāsāṃ brahma mahadyonirahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā ||14-4||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.5

Purity, Passion and Ignorance are the Qualities which the Law of nature bringeth forth. They fetter the free Spirit in all beings.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः | निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ||१४-५||

sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ . nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam ||14-5||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.6

O Sinless One! Of these, Purity, being luminous, strong and invulnerable, binds one by its yearning for happiness and illumination.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् | सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ||१४-६||

tatra sattvaṃ nirmalatvātprakāśakamanāmayam . sukhasaṅgena badhnāti jñānasaṅgena cānagha ||14-6||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.7

Passion, engendered by thirst for pleasure and attachment, binds the soul through its fondness for activity.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् | तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ||१४-७||

rajo rāgātmakaṃ viddhi tṛṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam . tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ||14-7||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.8

But Ignorance, the product of darkness, stupefies the senses in all embodied beings, binding them by chains of folly, indolence and lethargy.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् | प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ||१४-८||

tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām . pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ||14-8||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.9

Purity brings happiness, Passion commotion, and Ignorance, which obscures wisdom, leads to a life of failure.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत | ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ||१४-९||

sattvaṃ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata . jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayatyuta ||14-9||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.10

O Prince! Purity prevails when Passion and Ignorance are overcome; Passion, when Purity and Ignorance are overcome; and Ignorance when it overcomes Purity and Passion.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत | रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ||१४-१०||

rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata . rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajastathā ||14-10||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.11

When the light of knowledge gleams forth from all the gates of the body, then be sure that Purity prevails.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते | ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ||१४-११||

sarvadvāreṣu dehe.asminprakāśa upajāyate . jñānaṃ yadā tadā vidyādvivṛddhaṃ sattvamityuta ||14-11||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.12

O best of Indians! Avarice, the impulse to act and the beginning of action itself are all due to the dominance of Passion.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा | रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ||१४-१२||

lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā . rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha ||14-12||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.13

Darkness, stagnation, folly and infatuation are the result of the dominance of Ignorance, O joy of the Kuru-clan!

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च | तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ||१४-१३||

aprakāśo.apravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca . tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ||14-13||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.14

When Purity prevails, the soul on quitting the body passes on to the pure regions where live those who know the Highest.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् | तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते ||१४-१४||

yadā sattve pravṛddhe tu pralayaṃ yāti dehabhṛt . tadottamavidāṃ lokānamalānpratipadyate ||14-14||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.15

When Passion prevails, the soul is reborn among those who love activity; when Ignorance rules, it enters the wombs of the ignorant.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते | तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ||१४-१५||

rajasi pralayaṃ gatvā karmasaṅgiṣu jāyate . tathā pralīnastamasi mūḍhayoniṣu jāyate ||14-15||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.16

They say the fruit of a meritorious action is spotless and full of purity; the outcome of Passion is misery, and of Ignorance darkness.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् | रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ||१४-१६||

karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam . rajasastu phalaṃ duḥkhamajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam ||14-16||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.17

Purity engenders Wisdom, Passion avarice, and Ignorance folly, infatuation and darkness.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च | प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ||१४-१७||

sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca . pramādamohau tamaso bhavato.ajñānameva ca ||14-17||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.18

When Purity is in the ascendant, the man evolves; when Passion, he neither evolves nor degenerates; when Ignorance, he is lost.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः | जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ||१४-१८||

ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ . jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ||14-18||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.19

As soon as man understands that it is only the Qualities which act and nothing else, and perceives That which is beyond, he attains My divine nature.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति | गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ||१४-१९||

nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati . guṇebhyaśca paraṃ vetti madbhāvaṃ so.adhigacchati ||14-19||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.20

When the soul transcends the Qualities, which are the real cause of physical existence, then, freed from birth and death, from old age and misery, he quaffs the nectar of immortality.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् | जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ||१४-२०||

guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān . janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto.amṛtamaśnute ||14-20||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.21

Arjuna asked: My Lord! By what signs can he who has transcended the Qualities be recognized? How does he act? How does he live beyond them?

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अर्जुन उवाच | कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो | किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ||१४-२१||

arjuna uvāca . kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho . kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate ||14-21||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.22

Lord Shri Krishna replied: O Prince! He who shuns not the Quality which is present, and longs not for that which is absent;

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

श्रीभगवानुवाच | प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव | न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ||१४-२२||

śrībhagavānuvāca . prakāśaṃ ca pravṛttiṃ ca mohameva ca pāṇḍava . na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ||14-22||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.23

He who maintains an attitude of indifference, who is not disturbed by the Qualities, who realises that it is only they who act, and remains calm;

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते | गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ||१४-२३||

udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate . guṇā vartanta ityevaṃ yo.avatiṣṭhati neṅgate ||14-23||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.24

Who accepts pain and pleasure as it comes, is centred in his Self, to whom a piece of clay or stone or gold are the same, who neither likes nor dislikes, who is steadfast, indifferent alike to praise or censure;

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः | तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ||१४-२४||

samaduḥkhasukhaḥ svasthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ . tulyapriyāpriyo dhīrastulyanindātmasaṃstutiḥ ||14-24||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.25

Who looks equally upon honour and dishonour, loves friends and foes alike, abandons all initiative, such is he who transcends the Qualities.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः | सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ||१४-२५||

mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ . sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate ||14-25||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.26

And he who serves Me and only Me, with unfaltering devotion, shall overcome the Qualities, and become One with the Eternal.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते | स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१४-२६||

māṃ ca yo.avyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate . sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate ||14-26||

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Bhagavad Gita 14.27

For I am the Home of the Spirit, the continual Source of immortality, of eternal Righteousness and of infinite Joy."

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च | शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ||१४-२७||

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca . śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ||14-27||

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Source dataset: Vedic Scriptures. See translation attribution.