त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् | मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् || १३ ||
tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam
tribhiḥ—by three; guṇa-mayaiḥ—consisting of the guṇas; bhāvaiḥ—states; ebhiḥ—by these; sarvam—all; idam—this; jagat—universe; mohitam—deluded; na—not; abhijānāti—knows; mām—Me; ebhyaḥ—beyond these; param—superior; avyayam—inexhaustible/imperishable.
“Deluded by these three states of being, composed of the three guṇas, the entire world does not know Me, who am beyond them and imperishable.”
The three guṇas create an elaborate theatre of experience. Souls are so absorbed in the drama—pursuing pleasure, recoiling from pain, sinking into inertia—that the Director behind the play remains unnoticed. This is the fundamental spiritual problem that the Gītā addresses.
Moments of boredom, pleasure, or anxiety are all guṇa-driven states. Rather than being controlled by them, use them as cues to inquire: 'Who is noticing this state?' That witness is closer to what Krishna is pointing to. The habit of returning to the observer gradually loosens the guṇas' grip.