Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 Verse 7 Meaning
Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action.
BG 14.7
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्।तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam
Meaning
Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 14.7 Mean?
The Gita addresses transcending the gunas with characteristic directness here. Know, O Arjuna, that Rajas is of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment; it binds fast the embodied one by attachment to action. Within the broader arc of Chapter 14, this verse builds on Krishna's systematic exposition of the three qualities of nature. The verse operates on multiple levels. On the surface, it addresses Arjuna's immediate situation.
At a deeper level, it articulates a universal principle about the three qualities of nature that applies to every person navigating the complexities of moral and spiritual life. In daily practice, this means bringing conscious awareness to moments where transcending the gunas is tested — not as an impossible ideal but as a direction of growth. Each small alignment with this teaching strengthens the capacity for the next.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 14.7?
The three qualities of material nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance.
Key themes in this chapter include Three gunas, Material nature, Transcendence.
How Can I Apply Bhagavad Gita 14.7 in Daily Life?
- •When you need steadiness while dealing with three gunas
- •When practicing material nature amid uncertainty
- •When applying transcendence to real-life choices
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Related Verses
BG 14.5
These qualities, O Arjuna, born of Nature, bind fast in the body of the embodied, the indestructible: purity, passion, and inertia.
BG 14.17
From Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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