Chapter XIV · Śloka 5
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः ।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥
sattvaṃ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥ |
nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinam avyayam ||
nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinam avyayam ||
Sattva, rajas, and tamas — these guṇas, born of Prakṛti, bind the imperishable embodied soul to the body, O mighty-armed one.
The three constituents of Nature — luminosity, activity, and inertia — are the very cords that fasten the immortal Self to a physical form. The soul itself is untouched, yet appears bound.