Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 28
Bhagavad Gītā 3.28: Knowing how nature works
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥
tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
But one who knows the truth about the distinction between the guṇas and their actions, O mighty-armed, does not become attached, knowing that the guṇas move among the guṇas. The senses, themselves products of the guṇas, engage with objects that are also guṇas; the knower sees this play from the standpoint of the witness Self.
For children
Krishna says: “A wise person knows that their body and mind do the busy work, while the real them stays calm. So they don’t get stuck.”
The opposite of 3.27: the wise person who sees how nature acts.
Word by word
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो — But one who knows the truth, Arjuna
- tattvavid: one who knows the truth
- tu: but
- mahābāho: O mighty-armed (Arjuna)
गुणकर्मविभागयोः — about the qualities of nature and their actions
- guṇa: quality (of nature)
- karman: action
- vibhāga: division, difference
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त — knowing that the qualities are only moving among the qualities
- guṇeṣu: among the qualities
- vartante: move, act
इति मत्वा न सज्जते — does not get attached
- iti: thus
- matvā: knowing, thinking
- sajjate: gets attached
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.