Mahabharata · 6.36.21
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
कैर् लिङ्गैस् त्रीन् गुणान् एतान् अतीतो भवति प्रभो ॥
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस् त्रीन् गुणान् अतिवर्तते ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho ||
kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃs trīn guṇān ativartate ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna spoke
कैर् लिङ्गैस् त्रीन् गुणान् एतान्kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etānby what signs these three gunas; by what marks these qualities
अतीतो भवति प्रभोatīto bhavati prabhodoes one become one who has transcended, O Lord; does one come to be one who has passed beyond, O Master
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃsof what conduct, and how, these; and what is his way of life, and how
त्रीन् गुणान् अतिवर्ततेtrīn guṇān ativartatedoes he pass beyond the three gunas; does he go beyond these three qualities
Translation
Arjuna said: "O Lord, by what signs is one known who has transcended these three gunas? What is his conduct, and how does he pass beyond these three gunas?"
Version
a77e3b8cce8a · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:02:20 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna again turns the teaching into a practical question: how to recognize a person who has not merely understood the gunas in mind but has truly stepped out of their power.