Verse 14.6
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् | सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ||६||
Transliteration (IAST)
tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśakam anāmayam | sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena cānagha ||6||
Word-by-Word Meanings
sattvam-the mode of goodness
nirmalatvāt-being pure
prakāśakam-illuminating
anāmayam-free from disease/evil
sukha-saṅgena-by attachment to happiness
badhnāti-binds
jñāna-saṅgena-by attachment to knowledge
Translation
Of these, Sattva, being pure, is illuminating and free from evil. It binds by attachment to happiness and by attachment to knowledge, O sinless one.
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains that even Sattva, though the purest guna, still binds the soul - through the subtle attachment to happiness and knowledge. The aspirant may become attached to the pleasure of clarity and wisdom, which itself becomes a fetter. Ramanuja notes that Sattva creates a golden chain - pleasant but still binding.
Themes
jnanamoksha