ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये ।मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि ॥
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye |matta eveti tān viddhi na tv ahaṃ teṣu te mayi ||
- सात्त्विकाः भावाः · sāttvikāḥ bhāvāḥ
- lucid states
- राजसाः · rājasāḥ
- passionate
- तामसाः · tāmasāḥ
- inert, dark
- मत्तः एव · mattaḥ eva
- from me alone
- विद्धि · viddhi
- know
- न अहम् तेषु · na aham teṣu
- I am not in them
- ते मयि · te mayi
- they are in me
“Whatever states are lucid, passionate, or dark — know them all as from me alone. I am not in them, but they are in me.”
— Original plain-language translation
The three gunas all derive from Krishna yet do not contain him. Dependence runs one way: modes rest in God, God exceeds modes. This asymmetry previews 7.13 on delusion.
— Reader's notes (original)