त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् । मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ॥
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairebhiḥ sarvamidaṃ jagat | mohitaṃ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ paramavyayam ||
Translation
Deluded by these three states made of the gunas, this entire world does not know Me — who am beyond them and imperishable.
Interpretation
The three gunas create a veil of maya — not illusion in the sense of non-existence, but delusion (mohitam — bewitched, infatuated). All of humanity is caught in this bewitchment: drunk on pleasure (sattva-born), driven by passion (rajas-born), or sunk in inertia (tamas-born). In this state, they do not recognize (na abhijanati) the Divine — who is beyond all three gunas (ebhyah param) and imperishable (avyayam). This is the nature of the human predicament and why spiritual seeking and grace are required.