In this chapter Krishna further explains the three qualities of material universe–goodness, passion and ignorance.  He preaches that the journey is to move from ignorance to passion to goodness and finally transcend even that.

Verse 1-4: After the customary introduction that this knowledge leads to salvation, Krishna says that He infuses individual consciousness into material nature (or this body).  This is how all life is created.  All life forms are born of material energy when infused with the seed of consciousness.

Verse 5: The qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance entangle the consciousness within the body.  This is an important point as the consciousness is shown as beyond ignorance, passion and even goodness.  These concepts are in the realm of the material energy.

Verse 6-9: The ones in the mode of goodness get attached to knowledge or happiness. The ones in the mode of passion are entangled in action (karma) through focus on sensory pleasures (trishna).  The ones in ignorance are entangled in laziness and lack of motivation.  Even the sense of holiness, bliss etc. are being called as entanglement.  This is quite interesting.  What is the objective if not being good and happy?

Verse 10: One of the three modes emerges as dominant in each person.  In the commentary on this verse scholars believe that the predominance of one or other mode is due to prior actions (from prior lives?)

Verse 11-12: When all senses are radiant then know that the person is situated in goodness mode.  When the greed, anxiety, activity, desire of sensory indulgence (spriha) is visible then passion mode is dominant.  Most modern culture celebrate these attributes–man of action is the hero of popular culture.

Verse 13: When darkness, staleness and delusion dominates than the ignorance mode is dominant.

Verse 14-15 and 18: Person in mode of goodness transcends to higher planets, one in passion is born in a mode of performing further activity and the one in ignorance becomes an animal.

Verse 16-17: The result of being good is purity, that of passion is unhappiness and that of ignorance (tamasa) is continuation in ignorance (agyanam). Goodness gives rise to wisdom, passion to greed and ignorance to delusion.

Verse 19-20: When consciousness realizes that all action is being done by the material nature due to one of three modes and realizes that it is above all these modes, it realizes divinity.  At such point the consciousness is freed from birth, death, old age and misery.

Verse 21-25: Arjun asks how to transcend the three modes and what are the symbols of someone who has transcended them?  Krishna explains that the one who has no resentment to all three modes (goodness, passion or ignorance) and who is constantly aware that the action is only due to material nature’s modes has transcended the material nature.  He remains steadfast in happiness and distress, views dirt and gold similarly and is indifferent to praise or insults, desirable or undesirable outcomes.

Verse 26-27: Such a person who has aligned his consciousness completely with the universal consciousness finds salvation as universal consciousness is the eternal truth and righteousness.

This chapter further lays out the difference between the material nature and consciousness.  Finally all objectives are left in the material world and consciousness is beyond any kind of objectives.  This realization can free one tremendously.  However the alignment with the universal consciousness and welfare becomes the guiding force.