The Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom

Krishna reveals the relationship between Himself and the three gunas (qualities of nature). 'Ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye'—all states of being—goodness (sattva), passion (rajas), and ignorance (tamas). 'Matta eveti tān viddhi'—know them to be from Me, manifested by My energy. 'Na tvahaṁ teṣu te mayi'—I am not in them; they are in Me. This is crucial: the three gunas come from Krishna's energy, but Krishna is not limited by them. He transcends them. The gunas are in Krishna, but Krishna is not in the gunas. This verse concludes the section on divine manifestations (7.8-7.12) and establishes Krishna's transcendence over the material qualities that bind living beings.