Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 14, verse 8 · Krishna

Bhagavad Gita 14.8 · Tamastvajnanajam Viddhi

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥

tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām |
pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ||

Translation

Know that tamas is born of ignorance and deludes all embodied beings. It binds through negligence, laziness and sleep, Bharata.

Context

Spoken by Krishna in chapter 14, Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga — “The Three Gunas”, which has 27 verses.

Frequently asked questions

What does Bhagavad Gita 14.8 mean?

Know that tamas is born of ignorance and deludes all embodied beings. It binds through negligence, laziness and sleep, Bharata.

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 14.8?

Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 14, Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Three Gunas).

Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.