Gita 18.40
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः । सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥
na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
In essence: No being exists anywhere—on earth, in heaven, or among the gods—that is free from the three gunas born of material nature.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Even the gods are not free from the gunas? This seems surprising."
Guru: "The gods—Indra, Brahma, the devas—exist within the created universe. They have immense power, long lifespans, vast knowledge, but they function through prakriti. Their nature is predominantly sattvic, but they still experience desire, they still act, they still have subtle ego. Only the Supreme, and the Self within all, is truly beyond gunas."
Sadhak: "Then what hope is there for us humans if even gods are bound?"
Guru: "Ah, but here is the paradox: humans have something gods often lack—the acute awareness of suffering that drives the quest for liberation. The gods are comfortable; comfort rarely produces spiritual urgency. Moreover, within every being is the Purusha, the witness consciousness that is never bound by gunas. The gunas bind the mind, the body, the subtle instruments—not the Self. Liberation is realizing you were never actually bound."
Sadhak: "So the gunas govern our behavior, our tendencies?"
Guru: "Completely. Your predominant guna determines your inclinations, capacities, attractions, and aversions. This is why the next verses discuss varna—not as rigid social categories but as guna-based psychological types. A person with sattvic predominance naturally gravitates toward knowledge, teaching, contemplation. Rajasic predominance creates warriors, leaders, protectors. Understanding your guna-mix is understanding your nature—and working with it rather than against it."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin with this contemplation: 'My thoughts, emotions, and tendencies today will arise from the gunas. Which guna is predominant in my nature? Let me observe without identification.' This creates the witness perspective from the start of the day.
Notice guna-patterns in yourself and others without judgment. When you see someone acting from tamas (lethargy, confusion) or rajas (ambition, agitation) or sattva (clarity, peace), recognize: 'This is prakriti functioning.' The same for your own states. This seeing reduces reactivity and increases understanding.
Reflect: 'Today, which gunas dominated my experience? What triggered rajasic agitation? What brought sattvic clarity? What pulled toward tamasic inertia?' This is not self-criticism but guna-inventory—understanding the patterns that govern embodied existence as a step toward transcending them.