Bhagavad Gita BG 14.20
Chapter 14, Verse 20 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन् देही देहसमुद्भवान् । जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैः विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥
gunan etan atitya trin dehi deha-samudbhavan janma-mrityu-jara-duhkhaih vimukto 'mrtam ashnute
Meaning
The embodied one, having transcended these three gunas that are the origin of the body, is freed from birth, death, old age, and pain — and attains immortality.
Understanding
The fruit of gunatita-realization: gunan etan atitya trin (having transcended these three gunas). Dehi deha-samudbhavan (the embodied one — the dehi — transcending the gunas that are the origin/cause of the body, deha-samudbhavan). Janma-mrityu-jara-duhkhaih vimuktah (freed from birth, death, old age, and pain — the four cornerstones of embodied suffering named in v9's jnana list). Amrtam ashnute (attains immortality). The one who transcends the three gunas is freed from the entire cycle — not a better next birth but the end of the birth-cycle altogether. The dehi (self) transcending the gunas is identical with the Atman that was never bound.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अतीत्य | atitya | having transcended, having gone completely beyond |
| देहसमुद्भवान् | deha-samudbhavan | that which give rise to the body, the body-originating gunas |
| जन्ममृत्युजरा | janma-mrityu-jara | birth, death, and old age — the three markers of embodied time |
| विमुक्तः | vimuktah | freed, completely liberated |
| अमृतम् | amrtam | immortality, the deathless state |
| गुणान् | guṇān | the modes |
| एतान् | etān | these |
| अतीत्य | atītya | having transcended |
| त्रीन् | trīn | three |
| देही | dehī | the embodied soul |
| देह-समुद्भवान् | deha-samudbhavān | born of the body |
| जन्म-मृत्यु-जरा | janma-mṛtyu-jarā | birth, death and old age |
| दुःखैः | duḥkhaiḥ | from the sufferings |
| विमुक्तः | vimuktaḥ | freed, liberated |
| अमृतम् | amṛtam | immortality |
| अश्नुते | aśnute | enjoys, attains |
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