Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14, Verse 21

अर्जुन उवाच | कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो | किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ||

arjuna uvāca kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho kim-ācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁs trīn guṇān ativartate

Arjuna said: O Lord, by what signs is one who has transcended these three gunas recognized? What is his conduct, and how does he transcend these gunas?

Arjuna asks a practical question: 'Kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabho'—by what signs (liṅgaiḥ) is one who has transcended (atītaḥ) these three gunas (trīn guṇān etān) recognized? 'Kim-ācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁs trīn guṇān ativartate'—what is his conduct (ācāraḥ), and how (kathaṁ) does he transcend (ativartate) these three gunas? This is Arjuna's natural question after hearing about transcendence: how do you recognize someone who has transcended? What do they do? How do they behave? This sets up Krishna's detailed answer in the next verses, which will describe the characteristics and conduct of one who has transcended all three gunas.