Word meanings
- trai-guṇya
- of the three modes of material nature
- viṣayāḥ
- subject matter
- vedāḥ
- Vedic scriptures
- nistrai-guṇyaḥ
- above the three modes of material nature, transcendental
- bhava
- be
- arjuna
- Arjun
- nirdvandvaḥ
- free from dualities
- nitya-sattva-sthaḥ
- eternally fixed in truth
- niryoga-kṣemaḥ
- unconcerned about gain and preservation
- ātma-vān
- situated in the self
Translations
The Vedas deal with the three attributes; be thou above these three attributes. O Arjuna, free yourself from the pairs of opposites and ever remain in the quality of Sattva, freed from acquisition and preservation, and be established in the Self.
The Vedic Scriptures tell of the three constituents of life—the Qualities. Rise above all of them, O Arjuna, above all the pairs of opposing sensations; be steadfast in truth, free from worldly anxieties, and centered in the Self.
O Arjuna, the Vedas [Meaning only the portion dealing with rites and duties (karma-kanda).] have the three qualities as their object. You become free from worldliness, free from the pairs of duality, ever-poised in the quality of sattva, without (desire for) acquisition and protection, and self-collected.
वेद तीनों गुणोंके कार्यका ही वर्णन करनेवाले हैं; हे अर्जुन! तू तीनों गुणोंसे रहित हो जा, निर्द्वन्द्व हो जा, निरन्तर नित्य वस्तु परमात्मा में स्थित हो जा, योगक्षेमकी चाहना भी मत रख और परमात्मपरायण हो जा।Commentary
Guna means attribute or ality. It is substance as well as ality. Nature (Prakriti) is made up of three Gunas, viz.? Sattva (purity, light or harmony)? Rajas (passion or motion) and Tamas (darkness or inertia). The pairs of opposites are heat and cold, pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, honour and dishonour, praise and censure. He who is anxious about new acuqisitions or about the preservation of his old possessions cannot have peace of mind. He is ever restless.
He cannot concentrate or meditate on the Self. He cannot practise virtue. Therefore? Lord Krishna advises Arjuna that he should be free from the thought of acisition and preservation of things. (Cf.IX.20-21).