na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
"There is no being on earth or in heaven among the gods that is free from these three gunas born of prakriti."
What This Means:
Nothing in all creation - whether on earth or in heaven - is free from the three gunas. Even the gods are influenced by sattva, rajas, and tamas.
Going Deeper:
This verse concludes the threefold analysis with a universal statement. 'Prithivyam' (on earth) and 'divi deveshu' (in heaven among gods) covers all manifested existence. 'Prakriti-ja' - born from material nature - indicates the gunas are inherent to creation itself. Only transcendence of prakriti (through liberation) frees one from guna influence.
How To Apply This:
Don't expect perfection while embodied. The goal isn't eliminating gunas but recognizing their influence and progressively cultivating sattva while transcending all three.
Key Sanskrit Terms: