A core teaching · expansive in mood · builds on earlier teachings
“Three qualities can hide the imperishable reality from plain sight.”
Deluded by these three qualities, the whole world does not know me, who am beyond them and imperishable.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
Read literallyby three · made of qualities · states · by these · all · this · world · deluded · not · knows · me · from these · beyond · imperishable
The whole world gets confused by the three qualities of nature and fails to recognize Krishna as the imperishable reality beyond them.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Jnana Vijnana Yoga" (Knowledge and Wisdom).
Verse 13 sits in Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita — Jnana Vijnana Yoga, "Knowledge and Wisdom". The chapter has 30 verses in total.
In a property dispute with your brother, your anger colours every word he says, and his anger colours yours. Krishna calls this the hold of the gunas: moods that hide what lies beyond them.
Did you like this verse?
Caught by the three gunas, Krishna says, the world fails to recognise him as beyond them and imperishable.
What this verse means
The whole world gets confused by the three qualities of nature and fails to recognize Krishna as the imperishable reality beyond them.
Context & commentary
Krishna speaks to Arjuna, whose fear and doubt have frozen action. After explaining that all moods and qualities arise from him, he now says the world stays trapped inside them and cannot recognize what is beyond change.
What it looks like today
In a property dispute with your brother, your anger colours every word he says, and his anger colours yours. Krishna calls this the hold of the gunas: moods that hide what lies beyond them.
“It feels freeing to know confusion is not failure; it is a veil that can be lifted.”