My womb is the great Brahman; in that I place the seed; thence arises, O Bharata, the birth of all beings.
Krishna illustrates his role as the seed-giver and the origin of all beings. This metaphor of the cosmic womb reinforces the interconnectedness of all life forms and highlights the inseparability of the divine from creation itself.
O son of Kunti, of all forms that are born in all wombs, the great Brahman is the womb and I am the seed-giving father.
By identifying himself as the father and the great Brahman as the womb, Krishna conveys the universal truth that all forms, irrespective of their diversity, arise from the same divine source. This underscores the unity underlying apparent multiplicity.
Sattva, rajas, and tamas—these qualities born of Nature bind down the imperishable dweller in the body.
Krishna introduces the three gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—explaining their role in binding the soul. This prepares Arjuna to understand the dynamics of human behavior and the qualities that influence one’s spiritual evolution.
Of these, sattva, being stainless and luminous, binds one through attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge.
Sattva is revealed as the quality of purity and illumination, promoting happiness and knowledge. Krishna points out its subtle binding nature, as even attachment to joy and intellect can prevent liberation if not transcended.
Rajas, know it to be of the nature of passion, arising from thirst and attachment; it binds fast, O son of Kunti, by attachment to action.
Rajas, marked by passion and action, ties individuals to ceaseless activity driven by desire. Krishna explains how it generates restlessness and attachment, making it a crucial aspect to manage for spiritual growth.
Tamas, born of ignorance, deludes all embodied beings; it binds through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.
Tamas, born of ignorance, is portrayed as a force of inertia that clouds judgment. Krishna warns that heedlessness and confusion caused by tamas hinder progress, contrasting sharply with the clarity offered by sattva.
Sattva binds one to happiness, rajas to action, and tamas, covering knowledge, binds one to carelessness.
Krishna highlights how the gunas influence tendencies—sattva inclines toward happiness, rajas toward action, and tamas toward negligence. This progression reveals the inherent struggles of human nature and their effects on spiritual pursuits.