The Three Gunas and Freedom from Doership in Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita Ch. 3 v. 27-29
Discover how understanding the three gunas—sattva, rajas, tamas—frees us from the illusion of doership and reveals the true Self in Karma Yoga.
Contents
Purusha and Prakriti: The Dance of Spirit and Nature
Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas: The Three Qualities of Nature
How the Gunas Create the Illusion of Doership
The Role of Ego in Claiming Action as ‘I’
Freedom Through Non-Attachment
Observing the Gunas in Action Without Claiming Ownership
The Warning: Why We Avoid Disrupting Others’ Duties
Living in the World Beyond the Influence of the Gunas
PODCAST EPISODE: Harmony in Action - The Role of Nature's Qualities
The three gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—shape all action in the world. By understanding their influence, we can free ourselves from the illusion of being the doer and live in the freedom of the Self.
We are continuing with the Bhagavad Gita Chapter Three, the chapter on Karma Yoga, the way of selfless, skillful action. This chapter teaches the necessity to act—and how to act in a way that contributes to spiritual awakening, freedom, and joy without binding us to karmic influences. In the opening of the Gita, Arjuna expresses the same refrain many of us have in life: “But wait, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to have to do the work that is before me to do.”
In the last article, we explored verses 3.22 to 3.26 with the theme of learning to act for the benefit of all. First, by seeing the example of the Lord—the Creator—selflessly giving to all and participating in the creative process to maintain the well-being of the universe itself. The teaching revealed that the Lord has nothing to gain through this action; it is a natural outpouring of compassion and support for all of life.
We are offered the highest example: learning to give as God gives—out of our wholeness and with compassion, offered for the well-being of all. Just as the Lord sets this “mega example” for us, we are also to be an example for others. The teaching is to act not out of selfish motivation, but out of the dharmic inclination of the heart so that our actions are constructive and in harmony with divine will and grace.
Purusha and Prakriti: The Dance of Spirit and Nature
The Bhagavad Gita verses 3.27 to 3.29 turn to the metaphysical exploration of the components of action. We move from examining the psychological implications of action—why we are motivated to do what we do—to exploring the mechanics of action: how the constituent principles of nature come together and cause action to occur.
These teachings come from Samkhya, one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. This system looks at the entire manifest creation and its source—how ultimate reality expresses as all that is. It explains how one absolute reality becomes many, and at the same time remains as one.
In Samkhya, there are two eternal principles:
- Purusha – Spirit, supreme consciousness, pure existence-being. Unmanifest, unmoving, unchanging, birthless, deathless.
- Prakriti – Nature, the power of consciousness to manifest. Unconscious, manifest, and always in motion and change.
Creation on all levels unfolds from the conjunction of these two principles—spirit and nature dancing together. This dance is eternal, yet only one partner moves.
"All actions are performed by the gunas of nature. The wise know the Self is the witness, never the doer."
—Bhagavad Gita 3.27
Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas: The Three Qualities of Nature
To bring about creation, nature (Prakriti) manifests in three modes or qualities—the gunas:
1. Sattva guna – Peace, luminosity, clarity.
2. Rajas guna – Movement, restlessness, change.
3. Tamas guna – Heaviness, inertia, darkness.
All of nature is made up of these qualities, which are always in motion and in varying proportion. Like strands of a rope, they are always together, never existing in isolation.
Both body and mind are expressions of manifest nature and are imbued with these qualities. The gunas influence all perception, thought, and action.
How the Gunas Create the Illusion of Doership
The false self—ego, or ahamkara—is a function of the mind. It identifies with the body-mind and claims: “I am the doer.” This claim is the root of karmic bondage.
In truth, the ability to be conscious is not inherent to the mind. Mind is a product of nature; consciousness belongs to Purusha. Spirit shines the light of awareness into the mental field, making cognition possible.
When we identify with the changing body and mind, we see ourselves as the doers of action and the owners of the results. These two beliefs—being the doer and owning the results—are inseparable. The Bhagavad Gita teaches that both are errors.
The Role of Ego in Claiming Action as ‘I’
The Bhagavad Gita 3.27 explains:
“Actions of all kinds are performed by the qualities (gunas) of nature. A person whose mind is confused by egoism mistakenly thinks, ‘I am the doer.’”
Because action is always part of movement and change, it belongs to nature—not to the Self. The awakened person knows this and remains unattached.
Bhagavad Gita 3.28 continues:
“One who knows the truth about the roles of the Self, which is removed from involvement, and of the gunas, which produce actions, understands that the gunas interact with each other and is not attached to their actions.”
This is the key to freedom: knowing that what we truly are—the Self—is never bound by action.
Freedom Through Non-Attachment
The Samkhya system teaches that action occurs when the objects we perceive meet our sensory capacity to experience them. Both are products of the gunas.
A spiritually awakened person can observe this interaction without claiming ownership or doership. They see clearly: “The gunas are doing it.”
As Swami Rama comments, even though human beings can consciously choose, analyze, and redirect their actions, they are still not the doers in the ultimate sense. All action is governed by nature. The Self remains unattached, unaffected, and at peace.
Observing the Gunas in Action Without Claiming Ownership
Imagine a magnet attracting metal filings. This is like the gunas as sense-objects and the gunas as sensory capacity being drawn together. This meeting produces action in the realm of nature.
The wise person observes this without attachment. They know the Self is the witness, never the actor. This insight dissolves the bondage of karma because the root belief—“I am the doer”—falls away.
The Practical Path: Karma Yoga and Freedom from Doership
In practice, we can work with these teachings by:
1. Becoming aware of our motive for action—asking, “Why am I doing this?”
2. Reducing selfish desire by acting for the welfare of all, without attachment to results.
3. Intending to learn from every engagement in life.
My guru, Roy Eugene Davis, often said: “We are grateful for those we are privileged to serve.” Seeing service as a privilege transforms how we approach every action.
The Warning: Why We Avoid Disrupting Others’ Duties
Bhagavad Gita verse 3.29 of this chapter offers a repeated warning:
“Those who are sincere but unaware of the distorting effects of the gunas continue to act by compulsion. Those who understand should be careful not to disrupt them, so that the necessary actions and responsibilities of their lives are not abandoned.”
This reminds us to focus on our own practice rather than trying to correct or “enlighten” others who are not yet ready for these teachings.
Living in the World Beyond the Influence of the Gunas
Freedom from the illusion of doership does not lead to inaction. The awakened person acts fully, yet without attachment. Their life becomes a natural expression of divine will and compassion, like the Lord’s own example in the earlier verses of this chapter.
They live in the world, yet beyond the pull of the gunas. Their joy is not dependent on circumstances, and their actions leave no karmic trace.
Listen to the full podcast episode below.
Bhagavad Gita, pt 28: Harmony in Action - The Role of Nature's Qualities
Chapter 3, v. 27-29
Find out how to act in a way that nurtures spiritual growth and how to embody the qualities of the divine in everyday deeds. Gain insight into the metaphysics of action and the role of nature's qualities in shaping destiny while staying true to the soul's journey towards freedom.
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