The verse

Bhagavad Gita 14.5BG 14.5 · Chapter 14, Verse 5

Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga

A core teaching · reflective in mood · builds on earlier teachings

“Nature's three forces keep the changeless one identified with the body.”

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

The verse

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः ।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥

Sanskrit recitation0:00

Arjuna, the three qualities of nature—sattva, rajas, and tamas—bind the imperishable inner being to the body.

— Krishna

Bhagavad Gita · 14.5

Hindi · हिन्दी

हे महाबाहो प्रकृतिसे उत्पन्न होनेवाले सत्त्व, रज और तम ये तीनों गुण अविनाशी देहीको देहमें बाँध देते हैं ॥

Themes:Gunas Prakriti

Word by word

The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.

सत्त्वंsattvaरजःrajasतमःtamasइतिthusगुणाःqualitiesप्रकृतिसंभवाःborn of natureनिबध्नन्तिbindमहाबाहोmighty-armed oneदेहेin the bodyदेहिनम्the embodied oneअव्ययम्imperishable

Read literallysattva · rajas · tamas · thus · qualities · born of nature · bind · mighty-armed one · in the body · the embodied one · imperishable

Understanding the verse

Sattva, rajas and tamas all bind the deathless self to the body; none of the three sets it free.

Built ongunas47 prakriti31dehin

In plain words

What this verse means

The three qualities born from nature keep the imperishable inner being tied to the body.

On the battlefield

Context & commentary

Krishna explains why beings stay caught in embodied life. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are forces of nature, and they bind the unchanging inner being to the body.

In your life

What it looks like today

You promise yourself to stay calm at a family dinner, then irritation or fog takes over anyway. Krishna names the three forces behind that pull, so you can see them working instead of only blaming yourself.

The takeaway

“You are not trapped by weakness alone; the whole system of nature can keep you identified.”