त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ।। ७.१३ ।।

tribhir-guṇa-mayair-bhāvair-ebhiḥ sarvam-idaṁ jagat |
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām-ebhyaḥ param-avyayam || 7.13 ||

Power of maya robs one’s discretion

All are gripped by delusion in understanding the truth of creation as well as their own essence and identity, says Krishna:

The whole world is deluded by the mystic potential and display of the three gunas, and as a result, it fails to know Me, the central Presence that, transcending these gunas, remains Imperishable.

The guna-traya exposition in Bhagavad Gita is something unique. Guna-traya forms part of sankhya philosophy, attributed to Sage Kapila. But Krishna deals with it in a different manner. He began to posit the gunas right from the second chapter, which primarily exposes the Soul, the supreme transcendental Reality both in the human beings and in the world. This Soul is the crux of sankhya philosophy of Krishna.

Sattva, rajas and tamas are the three gunas. The gunas are a spiritual postulate, as mentioned earlier. Tamas causes ignorance, lethargy and inertia. Rajas keeps the whole creation vibrant, mobile and active. Sattva brings enlightenment, clarity and cheerfulness.

The whole creation is a result of the combined display of the three gunas. Remember how Krishna exhorted Arjuna in the 2nd chapter: “Even the entire Vedas deal only with the guna-traya. Arjuna, be indifferent to the gunas and rise above the pairs of opposites (dvandvas) created by them. By this you will have transcended the mind and lodged yourself in the transcendental Self (2.45)”.

In the 3rd chapter (3.27, 28), he speaks about the gunas being constantly at work, causing all activities. Deluded by the interplay of the gunas, says Krishna, each thinks that he is active. There is a basic confusion in knowing what really acts and how the Soul remains transcendental, untouched by all activities.

Spiritual enlightenment alone will rid one of such confusion and difficulties. The Knower perceives how the three gunas dominate the whole of creation, all actions and their outcome being attributable only to their interplay. Understanding the truth about all activities, he remains free, uninvolved inwardly. The Knower has no problem or bondage at all in this matter.

5th chapter brings the same point with greater clarity and force (5.8 and 9). The Knower of Truth carries the realization that he does not do anything at all, even while his body and its limbs are engaged in seeing, hearing, holding, walking or winking. This non-acting awareness keeps the Knower above all attachments and identifications – the root cause of all suffering in anyone.

The call for ascribing all activities to the three gunas of prakriti and perceiving the neutral impersonal Soul as beyond the gunas, features throughout the Bhagavad Gita dialogue.

The one aim of all spiritual expositions as well as pursuits, is to disseminate and attain true wisdom, and for that purpose to remove all delusions.