Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

Here the analysis of the modes ends and from here onwards Krishna started talking about how one raises from Karma Yoga through Varnashram through Gyana Yoga and ultimately to Bhakti Yoga. So what is the connection between this and previous sections? This chapter started with Arjuna’s question which is effectively same as in the beginning of BG, is action better or is renunciation better? Here he is refraining it as can you explain to me what is Tyaga and what is Sanyas? That is the starting question 18.1 and Krishna’s answer is rather than renouncing work one should work but with the spirit of renunciation. Work with detachment. And how work with detachment will keep one free from bondage to describe this concept two subsequent sections came up, 1-12 talk about how Karma Yoga is recommended course, then Gyana of the Karma Yogi is talked about where five factors of actions were described, then after describing that various components of action, Gyana, Karma, Karta and Budhhi, dhriti is discussed then Sukha the objective of action is discussed, so after discussing this how the Karma Yogi with the introspective attitude within can stay free from bondage is described, now how this is integrated into social structure of Varanashram and how through the social structure of Varanashram people become elevated that will be discussed in the next section.

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Bg 18.40

na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā
divi deveṣu vā punaḥ
sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ
yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ

Synonyms: 

na — not; tat — that; asti — there is; pṛthivyām — on the earth; vā — or; divi — in the higher planetary system; deveṣu — amongst the demigods; vā — or; punaḥ — again; sattvam — existence; prakṛti–jaiḥ — born of material nature; muktam — liberated; yat — that; ebhiḥ — from the influence of these; syāt — is; tribhiḥ — three; guṇaiḥ— modes of material nature.

Translation: 

There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed from these three modes born of material nature.

na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā, that in the whole of earth 

divi deveṣu vā punaḥ, so what to speak of earth even in heavenly planets among the devatas 

sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ, sattvaṁ, here refers to all of existence 

prakṛti-jair muktaṁ, prakṛti-jair means that which is born of Prakrti

yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ, tribhir guṇaiḥ, these three modes which are born of prakriti

Nobody is mukta, nobody is free from these modes. Everybody is under the influence of these modes.

End of transcription.