Chapter 14 Shloka 22

श्री भगवानुवाच

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।

न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति।।२२।।

The Lord says:

Arjuna, he who does not repel luminescence,

engagement in activity or moha

when they are present and who does not

desire these in their absence, is a gunatit.

Chapter 14 Shloka 22

श्री भगवानुवाच

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।

न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति।।२२।।

The Lord says:

Arjuna, he who does not repel luminescence, engagement in activity or moha when they are present and who does not desire these in their absence, is a gunatit.

Defining the characteristics of the gunatit, the Lord says that he who does not abhor the luminescence of sattva, the activity innate in rajas or the moha derived of tamas, and who does not desire these in their absence, is a gunatit.

1. Little one, the gunatit is not attached to knowledge or the luminescence it emanates.

2. He is not attached to the qualities of divinity.

3. He is not attached to greatness.

4. He is not even attached to the attribute of sattva.

5. He does not desire the attribute of sattva.

6. Nor is he averse to that attribute.

7. He is not excessively attached to activity (the product of rajas), nor does he abhor it.

8. The gunatit does not seek to escape from the fruits of engagement in action.

9. The gunatit neither wishes to adopt the attribute of rajas, nor does he seek to renounce it.

10. He is not influenced by moha, the product of tamas, nor is he excessively averse to it.

11. He is not influenced by moha, nor does he desire its absence.

Little one, the gunatit moulds himself in accordance with the prevailing circumstance. He mirrors the individual who stands before him. He maintains his equanimity in all situations. He maintains an impartial attitude towards both engagement in action and abstinence from it – pravritti and nivritti.

The Yogi who possesses knowledge:

a) renounces attachment with the body;

b) knows his attributes to be inanimate;

c) remains indifferent to his qualities;

d) is attracted by his Atma Self;

e) pays no heed to any qualities or their influence.

When nothing is in one’s control, why blame another or fight another? Qualities flow freely and spontaneously from the body of such a one but he remains impartial towards them. He is neither attached to activity nor does he desire abstinence from it.

Nivritti and Pravritti

Little Abha, the Yogi, the pandit, the man of knowledge and the sthit pragya are free from attachment to both nivritti and pravritti.

Pravritti (प्रवृत्ति)

Pravritti connotes forging ahead, arising, manifesting itself, initiating, utilising, interaction, engaging in work, activity, normal worldly activity, trade, to flow freely.

The tendency to engage in activity is generally related with worldliness and selfishness. It is said that the worldly person is prone to tread the path of activity. Many believe that this path leads towards Karma Yoga or union with the divine through action.

Nivritti (निवृत्ति)

To return, to wane, to be lost in meditation, not to initiate any activity, to renounce interaction, to be devoid of activity, to relinquish all work, to shun worldly existence, to desist from trade, to distance oneself from worldly life, to refrain from trade, destruction.

Nivritti is generally connected with sanyas or renunciation, detachment, and bliss. This path is considered to lead to knowledge.

Little Abha, the gunatit is ever unaffected by both nivritti and pravritti. He does what the situation demands of him at any given time.