arjuna uvāca
kair lińgais trīn guṇān etān
atīto bhavati prabho
kim ācāraḥ kathaḿ caitāḿs
trīn guṇān ativartate

arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; kaiḥ — by which; lińgaiḥ — symptoms; trīn — three; guṇān — qualities; etān — all these; atītaḥ — having transcended; bhavati — is; prabho — O my Lord; kim — what; ācāraḥ — behavior; katham — how; ca — also; etān — these; trīn — three; guṇān — qualities; ativartate — transcends.

Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature?