Bhagavad Gita BG 14.21
Chapter 14, Verse 21 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अर्जुन उवाच । कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतान् अतीतो भवति प्रभो । किमाचारः कथं चैतांस् त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥
arjuna uvaca kair lingais trin gunan etan atito bhavati prabho kim acarah katham caitams trin gunan ativartate
Meaning
Arjuna said: O Lord, what are the signs (linga) of one who has transcended these three gunas? What is their conduct? And how does one transcend these three gunas?
Understanding
Arjuna asks exactly the right three-part question: kair lingaih (by what signs — linga = mark, indicator) atito bhavati (one who has transcended). Kim acarah (what is their conduct/behavior — how do they live?). Katham ca etan trin gunan ativartate (and HOW does one transcend these three gunas — what is the path?). This triple question structures Krishna's entire response in v22-26: the signs of the gunatita (v22-25), and the path (v26: unswerving bhakti). Arjuna's question arises naturally from v20's declaration that such transcendence leads to immortality — 'then I want to know what that looks like and how to get there.'
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| लिङ्गैः | lingaih | by signs, by marks, by characteristics |
| अतीतः | atitah | one who has transcended, one who has gone beyond |
| प्रभो | prabho | O Lord (address of reverence) |
| आचारः | acarah | conduct, behavior, way of living |
| अतिवर्तते | ativartate | transcends, goes completely beyond |
| अर्जुन उवाच | arjuna uvāca | Arjuna said |
| कैः | kaiḥ | by what |
| लिंगैः | liṅgaiḥ | marks, signs |
| त्रीन् | trīn | the three |
| गुणान् | guṇān | modes of nature |
| एतान् | etān | these |
| अतीतः | atītaḥ | one who has transcended |
| भवति | bhavati | becomes |
| किम् | kim | what |
| आचारः | ācāraḥ | conduct, behavior |
| कथम् | katham | how |
| च | ca | and |
| एतान् | etān | these |
| त्रीन् | trīn | three |
| गुणान् | guṇān | modes |
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