Shrimad Bhagavad-gita

by Narayana Gosvami | 2013 | 327,105 words

The Bhagavad-gita Verse 14.19, English translation, including the Vaishnava commentaries Sarartha-varsini-tika, Prakashika-vritti and Rasika-ranjana (excerpts). This is verse Verse 14.19 from the chapter 14 called “Guna-traya-vibhaga-yoga (Yoga through transcending the three modes of Material Nature)”

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 14.19:

नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्त्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।
गुणेभ्यश् च परं वेत्ति मद्-भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥ १९ ॥

nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ karttāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati |
guṇebhyaś ca paraṃ vetti mad-bhāvaṃ so'dhigacchati
|| 19 ||

na–no; anyam–other; guṇebhyaḥ–beyond the three binding influences of material nature; karttāram–doer; yadā–when; draṣṭā–the seer (the minute living being);anupaśyati–sees in pursuance of the Vedic teachings; guṇebhyaḥ–to those qualities; ca–and; param–transcendental (the minute spirit soul); vetti–understands; mat-bhāvam–pure devotion to Me in the form of bhāva (ecstatic love of God); saḥ–he (that living entity); adhigacchati–fully attains.

When the living entity does not see any agent of action besides the three modes of material nature, and when he realizes the spirit soul to be transcendental to those modes, he fully attains pure devotion to Me.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

After describing the material world, which is composed of the three modes of material nature, Śrī Bhagavān explains liberation, which is quite distinct from these modes, in this verse beginning with nānyam and in the next verse. “When the jīva does not see any other agent of action besides the modes of nature, which have been transformed to become the doer, the effect and the objects of sense enjoyment, he actually sees things as they are. He also realizes that the ātmā, or soul, is superior to the modes of nature and different from them. Such a seer (the jīva) attains love for Me (mad-bhāvam), that is, he merges with Me. In other words, he attains Me through bhakti. But even after he has acquired this knowledge, he only attains Me by performing bhakti.” This will become clear from the meaning of the twenty-sixth verse of this chapter.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

All living entities in the various species of life, from rivers, mountains and ants up to creepers, trees and human beings, are working while helplessly bound by the modes of nature. In reality, these three modes of material nature are the only active agent in all their actions. Parameśvara is the original director of material nature, and even though He is the controller of material nature (prakṛti) and the three modes of nature (the guṇas), He is completely transcendental to both. Those who know this truth also cross over prakṛti and the guṇas to attain the supreme destination, but this cannot be understood merely by one’s own intelligence and discrimination. Therefore, it is of utmost necessity to have the association of mahā-puruṣas, exalted, liberated personalities, who are well-versed in transcendental knowledge. Regardless of the extent of a living entity’s degradation, in the association of such persons, he will very quickly and easily transcend these three modes of nature.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: