Bhagavad-gita Notes 1

Appendix

APPENDIX A
THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE

VERSE ITEM MODE OF GOODNESS MODE OF PASSION MODE OF IGNORANCE

14.6 Binding Force Sense of: Attachment to Madness

to 14.8 Happiness fruitive activities Indolence (Laziness)
Satisfaction Binds by the ropes Sleep
Knowledge of desire and
Superiority attachment
14.11 Symptoms Illuminates the Intense, unlimited Delusion/ Illusion
to 14.13 gates of the body desires and Darkness
with knowledge longings Madness
Frees one from Great attachment Inertia
sinful reactions Fruitive activities
14.14 Destination at Attains the pure, Attains earthly Birth in lower species
to 14.15 death higher planets of planets
the great sages
14.16 Results of Pure Misery Foolishness
to 14.18 action Knowledge (sees Greed Madness
things as they are) Earthly planets Illusion
Elevation to higher Life in hellish worlds
planets like
Brahmaloka or
Janaloka
17.4 Worship Demigods Demons Ghosts and Spirits

17.8 Food Type of foods: Type of foods: Type of foods:

to 17.10 Juicy, fatty, Too bitter, Too Prepared more than
wholesome and sour, salty, hot three hours before
pleasing to the pungent, dry and being eaten
heart burning Food that is tasteless,
decomposed and putrid
Effect of such foods: Effect of such foods: Food consisting of
Increases the Distress remnants and
duration of life Misery untouchable things
Purifies one’s Disease
existence Effect of such foods:
Gives strength, Infection
health, happiness Disease
and satisfaction

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 Bhagavad-gita Notes 2
Appendix

VERSE ITEM MODE OF GOODNESS MODE OF PASSION MODE OF IGNORANCE

17.11 Sacrifice According to Performs for some Without regard for the
to directions of material benefit directions of scripture
17.13 scripture For the sake of Without distribution of
As a matter of duty pride prasadam (spiritual
Without desire of food)
reward Without chanting of
Vedic hymns
Without remuneration
to the priests
Without faith

17.17 Austerity Performed with Performed out of Performed out of

to transcendental faith pride foolishness
17.19 Without expecting For the sake of With self-torture
material benefits gaining respect To destroy or injure
Only for the sake of It is neither others
the Supreme permanent nor
stable
17.20 Charity Given out of duty With expectation of Performed at an impure
to Without some return place
17.22 expectation of With the desire for At an impure time
return fruitive results To unworthy persons
At the proper time In a grudging mood Without proper
and place attention and respect
To a worthy person
18.7 Renunciation Performing Renounces Renounces prescribed
to prescribed duty prescribed duties as duties because of
18.9 only because it troublesome or out illusion
ought to be done of fear of bodily
Renounces all discomfort
material association
Renounces all
attachment to the
fruit
18.20 Knowledge Knowledge by Knowledge by Knowledge by which
to which one which one sees that one is attached to one
18.22 undivided spiritual in every different kind of work as all in all
nature is seen in all body there is a Without knowledge of
living entities, different type of the truth
though they are living entity Which is very meager
divided into
innumerable forms

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 Bhagavad-gita Notes 3
Appendix

VERSE ITEM MODE OF GOODNESS MODE OF PASSION MODE OF IGNORANCE

18.23 Action Regulated by With great effort Performed in illusion

to sastras by one seeking to In disregard of scriptural
18.25 Performed without gratify his desires injunctions
attachment Enacted from a Without concern for
Without love or sense of false ego future bondage or for
hatred violence or distress
Without desire for caused to others
fruitive results
18.26 Performer of Performs his duty Attached to work Work against the
to action (worker) without association and fruits of work injunctions of the
18.28 with the modes of Desiring to enjoy scripture
material nature those fruits Materialistic
Without false ego Greedy Obstinate
With great Envious Cheating
determination and Impure and Expert in insulting
enthusiasm Moved by joy and others
Without wavering in sorrow Lazy
success or failure Always morose and
Procrastinating

18.30 Understanding One knows what Cannot distinguish Considers religion to be

to ought to be done between religion irreligion and irreligion
18.32 and what ought not and irreligion to be religion
to be done Between action Under the spell of
What is to be feared that should be illusion and darkness
and what is not to done and action Always striving in the
be feared that should not be wrong direction
What is binding and done
what is liberating

18.33 Determination Unbreakable One holds fast to One cannot go beyond

to Sustained with fruitive results in dreaming
18.35 steadfastness by religion, economic Fearfulness
yoga practice development and Lamentation
Controls the sense gratification Moroseness
activities of mind, Illusion
life and senses
18.37 Happiness Just like poison in Derived from Blind to self realisation
to the beginning and contact of the Delusion from beginning
18.39 nectar at the end senses with their to end
Awakes one to self- objects Arises from sleep,
realisation Appears as nectar laziness and illusion
at first but poison
at the end
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