Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Vijnana YogaChapter 7, Shloka 12 (7.12)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये
मत्त एवेति तान् विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि
॥ 7.12 ॥
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāstāmasāśca ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṃ teṣu te mayi
Translation
"And whatever states there are — sattvic, rajasic and tamasic — know them to be (born) from me alone; but I am not in them — they are in me."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya — the difference in dependence. Yadyapi te mattaḥ jāyante tathāpi na tu ahaṃ teṣu tad-adhīnaḥ tad-vaśaḥ yathā saṃsāriṇaḥ, te punaḥ mayi mad-vaśāḥ mad-adhīnāḥ — they are born from me, yet I am not dependent on them as worldly beings are; they depend on me. Further on: the world does not know such a Supreme Lord, nitya-śuddha-buddha-mukta-svabhāvaṃ … nirguṇaṃ — anukrośaṃ darśayati — the Lord shows compassion.
Acharya Ramanuja — "līlā". Jagati bhogyatvena dehatvena indriyatvena tat-tad-dhetutvena ca avasthitā ye bhāvāḥ — all states existing in the world as objects of enjoyment, bodies, senses and their causes come from me; na tu ahaṃ teṣu — my existence does not depend on them; an ordinary self receives benefit from its body, mama tu taiḥ na kaścit tathāvidha upakāraḥ, kevalaṃ līlā eva prayojanam — but I receive no benefit from them; play (lila) alone is the purpose.
The difference: Both — the gunas depend on the Lord, not the Lord on the gunas. Ramanuja adds: creation is the Lord's lila, not a need.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.