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Concept

The Three Gunas in the Bhagavad Gita

गुण

The gunas are the three qualities of material nature: sattva, rajas, and tamas.

Why they matter

The gunas explain why human behavior is mixed, unstable, and conditioned. They help the text describe temperament without reducing the self to temperament.

Where to study them

Chapter 14 is the central chapter for the gunas, but related distinctions appear in later ethical and devotional teachings too.

Core Definition

The gunas are the three qualities of material nature: sattva, rajas, and tamas.

Context

Understanding in context

These chapters are useful starting points if you want to move from the concept page back into the primary text.