Bhagavad Gita · Gunatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter 14, Shloka 5 (14.5)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्
॥ 14.5 ॥
sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam
Translation
"O mighty-armed one, sattva, rajas and tamas — these gunas born of prakriti bind the imperishable embodied one (the Self) to the body."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. guṇāḥ iti pāribhāṣikaḥ śabdaḥ, na rūpādivat dravyāśritāḥ guṇāḥ — "guna" is a technical term, not a quality residing in a substance like colour; guṇā iva nityaparatantrāḥ kṣetrajñaṃ prati avidyātmakatvāt kṣetrajñaṃ nibadhnantīva — being of the nature of ignorance, they bind the knower of the field as it were.
Acharya Ramanuja. prakṛteḥ svarūpānubandhinaḥ svabhāvaviśeṣāḥ prakāśādikāryaikanirūpaṇīyāḥ — particular traits of prakriti's nature, recognised only by their effects (such as light); prakṛtyavasthāyām anudbhūtāḥ tadvikāreṣu … udbhūtāḥ — dormant in primal prakriti, manifest in its modifications.
Shridhara Swami. He treats 14.5–14.18 as one unit (catur-daśabhiḥ): now, the samsara of purusha through union with prakriti. The gunas = guṇasāmyaṃ prakṛtiḥ — the balance of the gunas is itself prakriti; once manifest, dehinaṃ cidaṃśaṃ vastuto 'vyayaṃ nirvikāram eva santaṃ nibadhnanti — they bind the embodied one, who in truth is imperishable and changeless.
Madhusudana Saraswati. The gunas are nityaparatantrāḥ — always dependent; they are not qualities dravyāśrita like colour and form (not in the Vaisheshika sense); prakriti itself is guṇatrayātmaka.
Madhvacharya. bandhaprakāraṃ darśayati sādhanānuṣṭhānāya — he shows the manner of bondage so that spiritual practice can be undertaken.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.