Bhagavad-gītā 18.40
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न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः।सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्ित्रभिर्गुणैः।।18.40।।
na tad asti pṛithivyāṁ vā divi deveṣhu vā punaḥ sattvaṁ prakṛiti-jair muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
There is nothing anywhere on earth or in the higher worlds that is free from the three Qualities, for they are born of Nature.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| na | no |
| tat | that |
| asti | exists |
| pṛithivyām | on earth |
| vā | or |
| divi | the higher celestial abodes |
| deveṣhu | amongst the celestial gods |
| vā | or |
| punaḥ | again |
| sattvam | existence |
| prakṛiti-jaiḥ | born of material nature |
| muktam | liberated |
| yat | that |
| ebhiḥ | from the influence of these |
| syāt | is |
| tribhiḥ | three |
| guṇaiḥ | modes of material nature |
The Gunas form the warp and woof of everything as threads do in the case of cloth. Here in the world of mortals or there in the heavenworld, there is no creature that is not bound by the three alities of Nature.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Follow the great recapitulation through renunciation, action, knowledge, duty, devotion, refuge and Sañjaya’s conclusion.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaThere is no entity in the world, nor among the gods in heaven, that can be free from these three gunas born of Nature.
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaThere is no creature, on earth or among the gods in heaven, that is exempt from these three Gunas born of Prakrti.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaThe Gunas form the warp and woof of everything as threads do in the case of cloth. Here in the world of mortals or there in the heavenworld, there is no creature that is not bound by the three alities of Nature.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
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- 1
There is nothing anywhere on earth or in the higher worlds that is free from the three Qualities, for they are born of Nature
- 2
na: no
- 3
punaḥ: again
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