Chapter XIV

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ADHYAAY XIV

GUNATRAYA VIBHAG YOGAM

Introduction

The Gita can be divided into three parts, say scholars.  The first six chapters deal on Jeeva, the next six (7^th to 12^th) on the Paramaatman and the ways to reach Him and the final six chapters on world and the ways to snap the bondage with it.  These three parts are not watertight compartments.  The world, Jeeva and the Paramaatman can not exclusively discussed.  The Jeeva has to know the world.  Not merely know, it has to know bond with it and the ways to snap those bonds.  The jeeva can not be separated from the Paramaatman.  ‘Jeeva is My Sanaatana Amsha (It has been a part of Me always)’, says Shri Krishna (XV - 7).  Neither the world can be separated from the Paramaatman.  He pervades every bit the world.  Hence, this division is approximate.  When one of these three is being discussed, referrance to the other two can not be avoided.  These three are discussed together in the whole of Gita.

The previous chapter had detailed explanation of Kshetra and Kshetragya.  Shri Krishna explains the three Gunas responsible for the many variations, differences in Kshetra.  Why these differences?  This is a question that often arises in our minds.  The whole creation is out of combination of three Gunas.  The Gunas are responsible for the disparities we see.  The disparities and differences are many.  Children born to the same father are different.  Students of the same Guru are different.  There is large variation among the people in same climatic condition.  This is due to the Gunas, says Shri Krishna.

Why should this be known?  Every chapter in the Gita is Yog.  Yog is ‘to unite’.  ‘Uniting with the Paramaatman.  The purpose of any knowing is to unite with the Paramaatman.  The play of three Gunas must be known, so as not to be lured and trapped by those.  The Gunas must be known so as to rise above them.  This chapter ends with a description of ‘Gunaateeta’, the one ‘beyond Gunas’.  Come on, let us enter the world of Gunas...

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श्री भगवानुवाच -

परं भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् ।

यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनयः सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गताः ॥ १  ॥

Shree Bhagawaan said:  Again shall I tell thee that supreme knowledge which is above all knowledge, having known which all the Munis have attained to high perfection after this life.

(XIV - 1)

This is a unique style of Shri Krishna.  He has talked on so many varied subjects in the Gita.  He has explained so many ways.  Everytime, he would start with the words that ‘this is superior Gyaana’ or ‘this is the best way’.  The listener would choose one of the many suggested.  Whichever he selects, would be good for him.

He says, ‘let Me tell this again to you’.  He is repeating His earlier words.  Subjects He deals are not different, though may appear to be so.  He is putting the same subject as seen from various angles.  The listener, according to his own attitude or mind set, chooses one, suitable for self, to eradicate ignorance.  Ignorance does not mean dull-witted.  It is ‘understanding in an improper way’.  To regard the body and the world as real is ignorance.  To feel that the worldly objects give happiness is ignorance.

There are many fields of knowledge.  Knowledge of other worlds is also there.  But, the knowledge that clarifies Prakriti-Purusha difference, one that leads to snapping of ties with Prakriti, one that helps renewal of the bond with the Paramaatman is superior knowledge.  He uses two terms, Uttama and Parama.  Uttama (superior) because it suggests ways to detach from Prakriti and its creation, the body.  Parama (ultimate) because it leads to Him.

‘The Munis who have known this knowledge have been liberated from the world and attained ‘Parama Siddhi’ or the ultimate success’.  Siddhi is not success in worldly life.  Nor is it one of the siddhis (Anima, Garima, Mahima, etc.) attainable through Yogik practise.  These kinds of successes reaffirm the bondage with the world and reassure continuance of the trap in the cycle of birth and death.  Though called siddhi, these are in fact failures.  The real siddhi is Union with the Paramaatman.  Shri Krishna explains the Muni in the next shlokam.

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इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः ।

सर्गेपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथ्न्ति च ॥ २ ॥

They who having devoted themselves to this knowledge, have attained to My being, are neither born at the time of creation, nor are they troubled at the time of dissolution.

(XIV - 2)

The world is an illusionary expression of the Brahman.  If it appears colourful and alluring, mind is the reason.  If it appears to be full of grief and pain, again it is the mind that is the cause.  Mind is the world.  The Sun ray has no colour.  It appears colourful when seen through the prism.  Similarly, the mind sees the world as colourful.  The Muni has destroyed mind.  He does not have a desire to get or have anything.  Like the wheel, the worldly life is repetitive.  Anything that is got, is got again and again.  Anything that occured, occurs again and again.  Anything that comes, comes again and again.  Yet, like a child seated on a giant wheel going through the same path again and again, a man’s desires and expectations from the world never fades and dies.  One who has totally uprooted expectations and desires from mind is Muni.

There is the child who passionately gathers marbles.  It possesses those and is upset when these are lost.  Do the parents also get upset?  The child cries when its doll is broken.  Do the parents join the child in its cry over the loss?  The parents on the other hand would laugh at and enjoy the childish stupidity of regarding marbles and dolls as its own and grieving at their loss.  They will relish the crying child’s action as if they were seeing a drama on stage.  But, the same parent gets upset, grieves and cries over loss of property, death of wife, loss of a post.  Is the property yours?  It was cause of celebration for someone else, a few years ago.  Someone else will purchse and claim to own it in future.  It is with you in the transition period.  Is the wife your own?  She is with you for a few years in this birth.  Before marriage she was with her parents.  May be, she will be alone after your death.  She might have been wife, daughter, sister of so many in the past births.  She will be with someone else in her future birth.  How can you claim she is yours?  Similarly, is the post yours?  How many have held this post in the past!  How many more are going to hold this in future!  The post you hold today may itself be abolished on some future date.  Is it not childish stupidity to regard a post as own, merely because you held that for a few years?  Is it not like someone who regards the railway berth he travelled on, as his own?  Muni understands this law of the world, stands detached and watches the world and enjoys, as if it were a drama.  The Muni who has anchored on to the changeless, imperishable, eternal Paramaatman and attained siddhi has no birth or death.

Listen to what Khaleel Gibran says about parental attitude towards children.  “The children are arrows if the parents are bow.  Arrows do not belong to the bow.  Their travel starts from the bow.  The bow has no right to retain the arrow with itself with a feeling of ‘mine’.  The arrow has its own goal.  It has its own path to tread.  The only work of the bow is to prepare itself in such a way to help the arrow reach its goal.  In fact, it is not the bow which is directing the arrow.  It would be ignorance of the bow to regard so.  The bow has to be clear that itself and the arrow through self are being operated by someone else and should surrender totally to him”.

Man wails when, ‘my money is stolen’.  Is the money his?  The only character of money is to circulate.  It moves on from hand to hand.  Money not in circulation, money in stagnation is black money, unhealthy for economy.  It comes to man’s hand for a short period, while in circulation.  We condemn the thief, because he tries to make his own, something that is not.  What about this man, who celebrates ‘possession’ of something not his own?  Money has been entrusted to a man for service of the people, service of the world.  Gandhi says, ‘man should consider himself a trustee of the money in his hands.  The money in a ‘Trust’ is not a possession of the ‘Trustee’.  He has to merely look after the money, spend it towards the mission of the trust.  This is the idea professed by the Vedas.  Gita also says this.  Muni is the one who has known and realized this.

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मम योनिर्महद्ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् ।

सम्भवः सर्व भूतानां ततो भवति भारत ॥ ३ ॥

Oh descendant of Bharatha!  My womb is great Prakrithi;  in that I place the germ;  from thence, is the birth of all beings.

(XIV - 3)

Jada and Chetana combine to produce lives.  Jada is Prakriti.  Chetana is attribute of the Parama.  The two unite for birth of a life.  Death ends the union.  Vasanas cause union again.

The scientific fraternity has been declaring the world to be made only of matter or Jada.  The Chetana which empowers Jada, the Brahma which lights up everything in Prakriti, is not yet recognized by science.  The view expressed by our ancestors about Jada differs from that of the scientists.  ‘Matter exists’ says science.  ‘Jada appears to be’, declared our ancestors.  Our ancestors talk about three things.  One is Sat.  It is.  Yet, is not seen.  The next is Asat.  It is not.  Hence is not seen.  The third is Maya.  It is not, but appears to be.  Like the dream.  The dream appears to be true.  You know it is not, as soon as you wake up.  Our ancestors declared the world to be Maya.  A few scientists have talked about this.  But, science as such has not approved this idea.

All the lives, grass, root, plant, tree, creepers, birds, insects, reptiles, animals to men, are products of Jada-Chetana union.  These get their bodies from the Prakriti and Chetana or Life-force from the Paramaatman.  The two are separated at the time of death.  Jada is lifeless and hence there is no quetion of its death.  Chetana is never destroyed and hence It also does not die.  Because the Aatman regarded self as body and the body as own possession and because it has to erase all the vasanas it acquired, it seeks a new body and is born again.

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सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सभवन्ति याः ।

तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥ ४ ॥

Oh Son of Kunti!  Whatever forms are prduced in all the wombs, the great Prakriti is their Womb and I the seed-giving Father.

(XIV - 4)

There is also a religion declaring man as born to sin.  Hindu Dharma, on the contrary, declares not merely humans but all the lives as born to the Divine.  Parameshwara is father of lives and the whole world.  The Prakriti is Mother.  Lives are of four types.  1.  Jarayuja: Lives which are born with amniotic sac, called ‘Jera’.  2.  Andaja: Birds, reptiles, tortoise, crocodile, fish and other lives that come out from egg.  3.  Swedaja:  Lives like the lice born out of sweat.  4.  Udbija:  Lives like the trees and plants that split open the earth to be born.  There are lakhs of wombs in each of these four types.  Lives appearing in all these wombs take bodies of different shapes and sizes.  Even the lives born in the same type of womb, though appearing similar superficially, differ at subtler level.  Lakhs of years have passed and crores of men have been born.  No two men are same at the obvious as well as subtle level.  That is impossible, say scientists.  There is a proverbial saying in Hindi.  ‘The turban, destiny, nature, voice, body structure, speech, thoughts, and hand-writing, these eight are same for no two men.’  In the initial days, banks used to keep picture of faces for identification.  Then, thumb impression was the identity.  Then came the signature.  Now, with terrorism prevalent everywhere, image of cornea is being used as the the identity.  They say corneas are of as many types as there are men.  Some use their voice as password for their computers.  The computer does not open to any other voice.  All these variations are outward.

The lives may have got their bodies from Prakriti.  But, the Jeeva seated in these lives are all essence of the same Paramaatman.  Bodies might vary, but Jeeva is the same.  Shri Krishna calls that ‘the seed’.  This concept of ‘Father-Mother’ has been borrowed from the world we see.  This concept has been explained in the words man can understand.  Mother is she who develops the body in her womb.  Seed is provided by the father.  Variations among lives are at the obvious level.  Inherently there is One Paramaatman.  This is the essence of Vibhooti Yog.  Shri Krishna is in the scorpion.  He is in the snake.  The dove is Him.  The eagle too is Him.  He is in the buffallo as well as the Cow.  The thief is Shri Krishna and the Sadhu too is Shri Krishna.  We may not be able to see Him in a thief and an eagle, in the intial stages.  It is alright.  Let us start with an effort to see Him in the beautiful, better lives.  Once the sight is corrected, we will be able to see Him in every life.

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सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः ।

निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥ ५ ॥

Oh Mighty armed!  Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, - these Gunas, born of Prakrithi, bind fast in the body the indestructible embodied one.

(XIV - 5)

The body got from Prakriti is perishable.  The Chetana, or Dehee or Jeeva, an essence of the Paramaatman is Imperishable.  The Imperishable Dehee binds self with the perishable Jada.  The three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the cause for this bondage.  The Gunas are of Prakriti.  They appeared from Parakriti.  Then, how can these bind the Aatman?  The Aatman is an essence of the Imperishable Paramaatman.  It binds self with Jada with feelings of me and mine.  These are two types of binding.  In one, the Chetana gets trapped in body, the Jada, regarding self to be it.  In the second, Aatman traps the body in self regarding the body as ‘mine’.  The three Gunas strengthen these ideas of me-mine and bind the Jeeva with Jada.  All the three gunas bind.  Sattva is Pure.  It is nobler.  It takes man nearer to the Divine.  Will that also bind?  Yes.  No doubt about that.  Sattva also binds.  Whether it is an iron chain that binds you or a golden chain, bond is a bond.  He is Mukta or liberated, who snaps bondage of all types.  Whether you are imprisoned in a cement-walled room or in a golden palace.  Prison is a prison.  Whether it is held captive in a bamboo cage or a steel cage or golden, it is all same, equally saddening, for a parrot.  He is free, who is out of all types of prisons.  One who gets allured and deluded by the gold, remains imprisoned.  A trader carrying a lot of riches was passing through a forest.  He was accosted by three dacoits.  They blind-fold him and tie his hands and legs and snatch all the riches from him.  Then, one of them suggests that he should be left in the forest with hands and legs tied.  The second thief suggests that ‘we should kill him’.  The third one guides him to a village outside the forest.  The first is Tamasik, the second one Rajasik and the third dacoit is Sattvik in nature.  The trader can not afford to admire and befriend the third, lured by his visibly ‘nobler’ quality.  He is also a dacoit.  The trader can reach home only if he cuts off from all the three.  Sattva also binds.  Man develops vanity about the greatness of Sattva and gets binded.  Bondage of Sattva is also to be snapped.  He only gets liberated.

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तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्त्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् ।

सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥ ६ ॥

Oh sinless one!  Of these Sattva, from its stainlessness luminous and free from evil, binds by attachment to happiness and by attachment to knowledge.

(XIV - 6)

In the next three shloka, Shri Krishna calls Arjuna by three different names.  While elaborating on the Sattva, ‘Anagha’ is the name He uses.  Anagha is pure, sinless.  Sattva is like a crystal, pure, spotless and clear.  It is bright.  As it is pure, Sattva is capable of inducing Knowledge of the Paramaatman.  If combined with an urge to reach Him, Sattva can take man nearer Him.  If combined with a desire for worldly subjects and pleasures, Sattva leads to sharper intellect and greater grasping ability.  He involves in research, deeper study of subjects, and discovery of scientific secrets.  Sattva is without wickedness and defects.  The mind travels downward and involves in baser thoughts when Rajas incites activity or Tamas induces delusion.  As a result, lowly experiences are gained in worldly life.  Sattva is beyond such defects.

How does Sattva bind?  Attachment with Pleasure and Knowledge is the bond of Sattva.  When Sattva dominates in psyche, there rises an inexplicable pleasure and peace in mind.  An attachment for the experience also develops.  A desire for continuance of it also grows.  Similarly, an attachement for knowledge.  The feeling that ‘I can know.  I can grasp’, is pleasurable and binding.  He binds self with pleasure and knowledge with an idea that ‘this is my pleasure’;  ‘this is my knowledge’.  This is the bond of Sattva guna.

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रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्ग समुद्भवम् ।

तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥ ७ ॥

Oh son of Kunti!  Know Rajas to be of nature of passion, giving rise to thirst and attachment;  it binds fast the embodied one, by attachment to action.

(XIV – 7)

Here, Shri Krishna calls Arjuna Kaunteya, Son of Kunti.  Kunti was an exemplary Kshatriya woman, brave, determined, vaalorous.  After life in exile, when the Pandavas were delibrating a peaceful deal with the Kauravas, Kunti sent a note to Arjuna, reminding him of his duties as Kshatriya and suggesting that he should decide to wage a war.  Shri Krishna calls Arjuna son of such a great woman and starts explaining Rajo Guna.

Rajas is full of desires.  Desires and Attachment are personified as Rajo Guna.  Rajas incites a thirst of wants, more wants.  Once desire is born, once unquenchable thirst for wants and more wants is kindled, stepping into action is the natural next step.  A desire can never be fulfilled without action.  Desire, action to fulfill the desire, more desire, more actions to attain that desire.  This is a cyclic run initiated by Rajas.  Desire is unending.  Actions become inevitable.  A dog desires to catch its tail, starts a cyclic run chasing the tail.  The tail is never caught and the action too never stops.  Slowly attachment develops for the action itself.  The dog is trapped in action.

Many of the politicians in Bharat can be found in this run.  One of my friends was the National president of a political party.  “I can not even spend a peaceful ten minutes in the morning in toilet.  Crowd of visitors start arriving”.  I used to be astonished at the speed of activity and level of hardwork they put in during election propaganda.  They start as early as five in the morning and continue non-stop right upto one or two at midnight.  On many days, they can not even have a leisurely lunch or dinner.  Don’t they get exhausted?  Are they never satisfied?  What is the motivation for their hectic activity?  As desires grow stronger, as expectations become higher, attachment over effort also grows.  So long a prostitute desires money, more money, feels that money can be earned only in the short period of youth, she will not hesitate to ready herself (wash, change dress, apply perfume and powder) and go to the next customer (immediately after the first customer leaves).  She can not afford to develop contentment.  It is money for the prostitute and power for the politician.  If contentment is to grow, there must be a tinge atleast of Sattva or the body should get exhausted.  The film actors also are found to be hard workers.  Again, Rajoguna is the inducing factor.

Rajas is found to be dominant in the developed countries too.  Race, speedier race, excited race, race without rest.  Life becomes so hectic that help of drugs is sought to get sleep and rest.  Mind is scattered due to over-excitement, leading to psychic disorders.

Rajoguna dominates in traders too.  In our Nation, there is huge band of Sadhus roaming around to ensure that the Rajas in traders does not turn into Rakshasa attitude.  Sadhus encourage the traders to organize and sponsor, if not, atleast participate in Satsanga, Bhajan, Temple festivals, Chaturmasya and other such vratas, discourses, Katha, etc.  They encourage the traders to reserve a portion of their earnings for religious and social causes.  The sadhus stay for a few days in their houses and fine tune their attitudes.  Why are the politicians and film actors not like this?  The trading community (Vaishyas) has a rich tradition.  There is an associated tradition of Sadhus guiding them.  In the olden days, kings had Dharmagurus and Rajagurus.  Politicians and film actors are newer professions without any tradition.  These men are so full of arrogance and ego that they can not bow down before Sadhus. A new breed of religious ritual-men has developed around these two professionals, the politicians and film actors.  These ‘religious’ men offer to perform Yagya, Mantra worship, tie talismans and threads, assuring short-cut to success.  They in turn, shower currencies in millions on these ‘rituals-men’.  (Indira Gandhi had one Dhirendra Brahmachari.)  These men do not have conviction or courage to hold their ears, reprimand them and bring them to right path.  There are hundreds of such men, talisman sadhu, farce Yagya Swamis, around Dilli Parliament.  One such man came to meet an MP, who was known to me.  He started boasting his own glories and powers.  He wanted to lure the MP into his trap.  “I performed a powerful Yagya for Shri Chandrashekhar.  He became the Prime Minister within four months”, he claimed.  I was listening to his talk.  ‘The prime ministership was gone in the next four months’, I commented.  He was furious.  That the MP could not be trapped, was also a reason for his anger.

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तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।

प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥ ८ ॥

Oh Descendant of Bharatha!  And know Tamas to be born of ignorance, stupefying all embodied beings;  it binds fast by miscomprehension, indolence, and sleep.

(XIV - 8)

He calls Arjuna by the name Bharata, meaning ‘descendant of Bharata’.  Bharata was great Gyaani.  Yet, he developed Agyaana or delusion due to which he had to take birth as a deer.  Shri Krishna takes the name of Bharata while describing Tamo Guna.

Tamas is born in Agyaana.  Agyaana or delusion is a state in which discretion is shrouded and he can not separate right from the wring.  The mind refuses to reach higher when Tamas dominates.  In the absence of right thoughts and direction, miscomprehension, laziness and sleep are born.  Tamasa binds with these three chords.  One of the definite effects of intoxication is putting a stop to run and other movements, and tie down the person to one spot.  The mind becomes such that it can not fix on anything.  Tamasa is also a kind of intoxication and lack of focus or miscomprehension, lack of movement or laziness and sleep become nature.

Shri Krishna says, ‘Sarva Dehinaam’ (for all lives).  Only man possesses Viveka and can differentiate between work that should be done and that which should not be done, right and wrong, proper and improper, Sat and Asat, etc.  He may not use this faculty, but definitely has it.  The other lives do not have this faculty.  They feed, sleep, produce offsprings and spend their lives.  They possess brain for the basic activities merely to sustain themselves.  In other words, these can said to be plunged in Tamas.  The man who has refused to apply Viveka also is a beast involved in eating, sleeping, mating etc.

Pramaada is lack of awareness in action.  There are two types.  Not performing essential actions with immediate or future benefits, actions beneficial to self or others is one.  Involving in non-essential or unworthy actions or actions that may harm self or others is the second type of Pramaada.  Cigarette-Bidi, Cinema-drama, games-entertainment, lottery-casino-horse race, aimless chat, aimless roaming in internet, etc. are some of the unworthy non-essential actions.  Inflicting harm to plants and animals without any reason is also an act induced by Pramaada.

The eyes and the whole body become heavy and the body is gripped by laziness, just before sleep.  This is natural laziness.  There is no role for man in this.  It just happens.  Laziness mentioned here is different;  lying lazily for hours, aimless loitering, killing time without any work, putting off the work in hand, etc.  Similarly, sleep that is essential for rejuvenation and refreshing is not meant here.  Extra sleep, sleep to please ‘laziness’ in mind, sleep as there is no other work to do, sleep due to lack of interest in anything, etc. are Tamas induced sleep.  Such a sleep, instead of relaxing and refreshing the body causes heaviness in it.  Pramaada, Aalasya and Nidraa are deterrents to progress in worldly life as well as spiritual pursuit.

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सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत ।

ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥ ९ ॥

Sattva attaches to happiness, and Rajas to action, Oh descendant of Bharatha!  while Tamas, verily, shrouding discrimination, attaches to miscomprehension.

(XIV - 9)

In human society, Sattva prevails wherever Knowledge is the basis for action.  Rajas prevails wherever action is forceful, excited, fast and passionate.  Tamas prevails wherever negative, wrong, harmful actions are on.  Violence, arson and destruction of public property by students or workers backed by political forces is work of Rajas.  Sattva feels bad about this and Tamas is unconcerned.  We must know that Sattva is dominant when mind rests in pleasure.  Rajas is dominant when mind is restless, is not happy and wants to do something.  When discretion is lost, delusion and depression prevails in mind with disinterest in everything, we must know Tamas to be dominant.

These three Gunas are found in all the men, not in same proportion.  If one seeks pleasure, peace, knowledge, then we can know that Sattva dominates in him.  Rajas and Tamas will also join the Sattva and assist that in its effort.  If effort combines with Sattva, the motive would be ‘pleasure’.

If Rajoguna dominates in a person, he will be plunged in actions, hectic actions, excited activity.  The Sattva and Tamas in him will also assist the Rajas in its enterprise.  The buddhi also will think only to stimulate action.  Tamas in him will think of rest only to the extent that will ensure more worl.  His dominant thought in him will be ‘accomplishment or achievement’ in life.  All his actions, thoughts and rest are directed towards this.  If he is good, he will be a ruler.  He will establish an organization.  If he is wicked, he will grow as a dacoit or hitman or a goon.

One with dominant Tamas tries to remain in a state of laziness, inertia.  Sattva and Rajas will also think of ways and resort to efforts that would ensure continuance of this state, of laziness.  He will work in the day to drink in the night.  His Buddhi also will suggest ways to remain in the state of semi-intoxication and inertia.  ‘What is the use of hard work?’  ‘What have those, who worked hard achieved?’  ‘And what have I lost by not working all these days?’  Such are the thoughts suggested by his Buddhi to ensure that he continues in laziness.

The three Gunas are together, mixed.  One suppresses the other two and dominates.  How does this happen?  Shri Krishna explains this in the next four shlokams.

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रस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत ।

रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥ १० ॥

Oh descendant of Bharatha!  Sattva arises predominating over Rajas and Tamas;  and Rajas over Sattva and Tamas;  so, Tamas over Sattva and Rajas.

(XIV - 10)

Very few have one of these three Gunas prominent all the time, shining Sattva or dominant Rajas or looming Tamas.  Most of us have all the three mixed, one suppressing others and dominating one moment, replaced by another at a later moment.  Sattva dominates at Brahma muhoortha (one and a half hours period before sunrise), Sun rise and Sun set time, in a few temples, in the proximity of a few persons.  The banks of a flowing river and such serene sites in Nature, assemblies where noble ideas are being discussed also are Sattva-promonent places.  The other two Gunas are suppressed when Sattva dominates.  Likewise, late mornings, early evenings, business houses, industrial production houses, assemblies where issues are being debated aggressively and passionately, places where competitions are being conducted, war fronts, riotous areas, are the times and places where Rajas dominates.  Rajas emerges suppressing Sattva and Tamas.  Tamasa springs at midday, late night, in gambling dens, entertainment houses, wine bars, dance bars, clubs, cricket stadiums, TV hall, proximity to film actors and places where Viveka fades, etc.  Tamasa emerges suppressing Sattva and Rajas.  The common man has all the three Gunas mixed.  His actions, speech and thoughts vary according to the Guna dominant at a particular moment.

Let us look at some cases where Tamasa is awakened.  If the passenger seated near the driver feels sleepy, the driver asks him to take a seat towards the back of the vehicle.  Sleep is contageous and driver can not afford to fall asleep even for a moment.  In a class, if one yawns there will be a chain of yawns.  In a bedroom, no special effort is needed to fall asleep.  It catches you.  You try to meditate or study a deep subject there, you are sure to fail and be gripped by sleep.  The atmosphere there induces sleep in you.  We observe evil, wrong thoughts rising in us, in some homes.  The Tamasik atmosphere there, built over years by continuous wrong doings and wicked thoughts, affects us.  The atmosphere there affects us.  There are many among those who stay in posh hotels, who take away the napkins, soap cakes and other small items kept for their use in rooms.  They are not thieves.  They are affluent men.  They do not lack anything.  This tendency is visible in the travellers in air planes too.  Prominence of Tamasa in the environment induces Tamasa in them.

We used to participate in the route march conducted by the RSS.  We used to march in our uniforms, well trimmed trousers, shirt and polished shoes, carrying a stick on our shoulder.  The march used to be on the beats of drums and notes of bugles and trumpets.  It used to be an inspiring event for the participants.  The effect of the route march on the spectators on raodside was also visible.  Their spine straightened and chest broadened involuntarily.  This phenomenon can be found in political meetings too.  A few of his sycophant assistants occupy seats in the crowd.  They initiate cheers, applause by clapping or raising slogans and the crowd catches the same.  The crowd does not know that the appluse is engineered.  Booing and jeering is also induced in a similar way.  Most of the riots and mob violence are kindled in this way.  A few plan, initiate and leave once the crowd takes that in its hands.  The spectators of Jallikkattu, bull-fight, kalari fights stand on their toes or sit erect at the edge of their seats, with tight fists and jaws.  This is the effect caused by an environment predominantly Rajasik.

Yes.  There are environments congenial to growth of Sattva also.  Satsanga, temple, Rathotsava, etc. have been innovative efforts in this direction.  There was thief who entered the palace to steal.  He learnt from a conversation he overheard there that the princess wanted to marry a Sadhu and that the king had decided to visit the forest to meet and select a Sadhu.  He dropped his plan to burgle at the palace and returned.  The next day he wore a Sadhu’s dress and a wig for long hair and beard.  He bought a danda and a kamandala and went into the forest.  He selected a place for himself and sat there posing to be in meditation.  The exterior was made up to resemble a Sadhu, but inside there was desire to be selected by the princess and hence anxiety.  He felt this was an opportunity offered by God.  ‘A whole empire was ready to become mine.  There will not be a necessity to go for petty thefts and earn petty amounts.  I will be able to lead life of a good man’ so ran his thoughts.  There were many Sadhus in the forests.  The princess arrived with a garland, accompanied by the king, officers, elephants, horses, chariots and assistants carrying loads fruits and precious stones and other gift items.  The king approached the Sadhus one by one, stood before him with folded hands and proposed to him to take the Princess as wife.  All the riches were placed at his feet.  The princess stood ready to garland the sadhu if he accepted the proposal.  The Sadhus remained silent.  Most of them did not even open their eyes.  The thief in the garb of a Sadhu was anxious.  If someone accepted the proposal?  Everytime a Sadhu rejected the proposal, he would be excited, as his chances seem to brighten.  At the same time, he was also astonished by their rejection.  “Why are they rejecting such a golden opportunity?  What is the more precious thing they are in search of?”  By the time the princess came near him, this question grew so big to occupy the whole of his inner space.  He now desired to go for the more precious wealth sought by these Sadhus.  He closed his half-open eyes and did not respond to the princess’ proposal.  The thief in him was already dead.  The fake ‘Sadhu’ was transformed into a real one.  The transformation happened in a second.  Sattva in him expolded to dominate every bit of his personality.  The environment caused this transformation in him.

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सर्वद्वारेषु देहेस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते  ।

ज्ञानं यदा तदा  विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमियत्युत ॥ ११ ॥

When through every sense in this body, the light of intelligence shines, then it should be known that Sattva is predominant.

(XIV - 11)

The external organs of body are eyes, ears etc.  Manas, Buddhi etc. are internal organs.  Shri Krishna says, “we must know that Sattva is suppressing Rajas and Tamas and is emerging as dominant, when the senses are bright and glowing.  Whenever there is a flash of knowledge, we must know that Sattva is rising.  What does He mean by ‘bright and glowing senses’?  If the eye is bright, the sight is clear and the knowledge gained through the sight in unambiguous.  Likewiese, if the ears are bright (not dull), the knowledge of the world through sounds is explicit.  If the manas glows, there are no turbulance and instability in it and the potentials of the senses too increase.  If Buddhi is bright, it means the Viveka or discretion has not been abducted and that its power to choose the right and reject the wrong is alive.  He calls ‘Awareness’ of the senses as their brightness.  Being aware is Sattva.  Some may feel that good works should encourage Sattva to grow.  Ones who perform worship, ones who regularly temples, ones who perform disciplines and austerities, ones who are involved benevolent activities like arranging free distribution of water and food, ones who sponsor poor man’s marriage etc. are likely to be regarded as Sattvika.  Hence, there are advices galore.. ‘Involve in good deeds’;  ‘Become more Sattvika’ etc. etc.  Not good deeds but rising of ‘self awareness’ and ‘glowing viveka’ are indicators of Sattva rising.  Sattva Guna is revealed by live, unfaded awareness while dining, speaking, sleeping and doing or not doing any other activity.  Sattva Guna might stimulate involvement in good deeds.  But, that is not important.  Self awareness is.  Good deeds may or may not be there.

Sattva is not alone.  It is in combination with Rajas and Tamas.  How do these work?  These remain subservient to Sattva.  These work to assist Sattva in its objective.  There will be hardwork, only to fulfill the essential needs in life.  Rajas will not grow beyond that.  Tamas will induce rest and relaxation only to rejuvenate body, mind and thought, not more.  Tamas will not cross this limit.  As Rajas is not large enough to induce worries and anxiety, as Tamas is not large enough to induce laziness and dullness, the Sattvik man is ever-fresh, ever-enthusiastic and ever-happy.

We must understand that the Gunas are changeable and degradable.  Our real Nature is beyond change and degradation.  Let us be aware not get entrapped in refined ego with thoughts like, ‘I am Sattvik.  I have developed Sattva in me through persistent effort’.  In our real Nature, we are beyond these Gunas.

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लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा ।

रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥ १२ ॥

Oh Bull among the Bharathaas!  Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, unrest longing – these arise when Rajas is predominant.

(XIV - 12)

Rajoguna is not action.  Attached action, action stimulated by greed is Rajas.  A farmer reaches his fields early morning, puts in hard work through out the day and returns in the evening.  He takes bath, worships, dines and goes to bed.  He is so much exhausted by hectic activity through out the day, that he falls asleep as soon as he reaches the bed.  He worked hard.  But, there was no avarice in the background of his activities.  He did all these as a mere duty, as a daily routine.  Similarly, a trader works the whole day.  His work may not strenuous as a farmer’s but surely is tiring.  He also returns home in the night, takes bath, dines and goes to bed. Sleep does not hug him.  He turns left and right and sinks into sleep after a while.  That is because, there is greed at the back of his work.  Work induced by greed is Rajas.  Resrlessness is born and peace is gone, as soon as avarice appears.  There is a common story popular in villages.  It is a story of ‘four and half tin cans’.  If someone grows weak and thin, the people would ask, “Why have you gone so weak?  Did you get four and a half cans of silver coins?”  Listen to the story...

A king had an assistant to help him in his personal work.  Though his salary was meagre, he seemed very much contented.  The king, on the other hand, had many worries and hence lack of peace and irregular sleep, inspite of all the comforts around him.  Slowly, over a few days, the king developed jealousy for the assistant.  “What might be the reason for his happiness, inspite his poverty?  And, what is the cause for unhappiness, inspite of plenty?” the king asked his minister.  “Content and discontent in respective minds”, the minister wanted to say as answer.  He remained silent as he wanted to make the king realize the truth.  After a few days, trace of worry could be seen in the face of the assistant.  His worry grew, and he began to lose weight and grow thinner.  He unusually asked for a rise in salary.  “Did you do anything?  He seems lost in worry”, the king asked.  “I placed five tin cans at his doorstep.  Four of those were filled to the brim with silver coins.  The fifth can was three fourth full of silver coins.  That is the reason”, said the minister.  The king could not understand.  The minister explained.  “The assistant could not see the filled cans, but was disturbed by the partially filled can.  He developed an itch to fill the empty space too with silver coins.  It was not an easy task for a daily-wage-earner to save.  He started working over-time and lost sleep.  He reduced his budget for food and hence grew leaner.  The can did not fill up inspite of all these efforts and hence worry and grief grabbed him.  He lost pace, happiness and smile.  That is how you see him now”, replied the minister.

Most of us are trapped in this cycle.  There is invariably an intense thirst behind the visible hectic activity of ours.  That does not allow us to rest. Lack of rest affects work and hence desire is not fulfilled.  Amount of work has to be increased.  Rest and sleep have to be reduced further.  Rest is regarded with guilt as sin.  After a stage, normal sleep becomes hard to get.  Loss of sleep is the first sign of psychic disorder.  He has to resort to many magical efforts to gain sleep.  Man says he does not have time for peaceful, Sattvika activities in the prime of his life.  He keeps running chanting ‘have no time’ mantra.  When he reaches the stage mentioned above, he is prepared to go to any extent to purchase peace.  Does he enjoy pleasures?  Poor man!  Does not have time even to relish his food.  He gulps his food standing, running, driving.  He goes out to ‘enjoy’ pleasures late night and loses more sleep.  The dog chews a bone, hurts its gums, tastes its own blood and feels pleased.  Similarly, man loses his sleep, health and peace and feels illusionary happiness.  Disturbance in health and restlessness are sure effects of dominance of Rajas.  Developed western countries and Japan are struck in this tangle.  Our Nation is involved in hectic effort to be entrapped in this web.  So called ‘night-life’ in cities, with over-crowded Ice cream parlours, hotels, wine bars, Dance- bars, is an evidence of this trend.

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अप्रकाशोप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च ।

तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥ १३ ॥

Darkness, inertness, miscomprehension, and delusion – these arise when Tamas is predominant,  Oh descendant of Kuru!.

(XIV - 13)

Aprakasha or Darkness is confusion about Sat-Asat, right-wrong, proper-improper, acceptable-rejectable, etc.  Apravrutti or inertness is stagnancy, a kind of heaviness in the body, disinterest in doing anything, etc.  Lack of attention, that is doing improperly what is to be done, not doing that which is to be done, doing that which is not to be done, is Pramaada or miscomprehension.  Moha or delusion is to consider the non-existent as existing and the Existing as non-existent.  These four indications appear in a sleepy condition.  If these indications show up at other times, we should know that to be dominance of Tamas.

The psychic disorder called depression also comes with these indications.  The one inflicted with this disease remains in his room, in dark.  He curls up on his bed, covered from head to toe.  He is not interested in meeting anyone.  He does not like to talk or interact with anyone.  Interest in anything and everything dries up in his mind.  This is work of Tamas.  I have met some such students in IITs, considered to be the best educational institutions.  In their school days, the parents took up a whip in their hands to make them run.  He started running.  He ran from the School to tuition class to competative exams chasing first rank.  His only dream was to anyhow join an IIT.  He successfully realized his dream and joined the IIT.  All his classmates here are first rankers.  He is pushed to second, twentieth or fifty fifth rank.  One who was in exciting action all these days collapses and sinks.  One immersed in action, hectic action instantly plunges into inaction, extreme inaction.  He hops from Rajas to Tamas.  The ones seeking silence and peace, the ones interested in music and other forms of art, the ones interested in deep study, study of subjects other than academics, the ones who think and introspect, the ones who study Dharmik texts, the ones with balanced emotions, that is, the ones who have a bit of Sattva in them, escape from this mishap.

Rajas and Tamas are two ends of a pendulum.  Man on one end has obvously to reach the other end.  Rajas is attachment with action.  Tamas is attachment with inaction and laziness.  It is natural for one to change from action to inaction or vice versa.  The real challange is to change from Rajas or Tamas to Sattva.  That is very difficult and a rarity.  Viveka is to be practised.  The thought waves arising in the mind have to keenly observed.  (Dhyaana system like Vipashyana may help).  Awareness has to be ingrained.  Questioning and introspection of experiences must become regular habits.  Guidance of an able Guru must be sought.  To get rid of rajas is possible by observing greed as soon as it rises and deny it an entry.  Getting rid of tamas is possible by keeping awake Viveka and rigorous practise.

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यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् ।

तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान् प्रतिपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥

If the embodied one meets death when Sattva is predominant, then he attains to spotless regions of the worshippers of the Highest.

(XIV - 14)

If one dies at a moment when Sattva dominates in him, he reaches nobler worlds, he reaches Swarga, world of fine pleasures.  Or he is born among the wise and knowledge seekers.  Pleasure is our goal.  Sattva is not ultimate goal.  Sattva also has to be purged.  To be a Gunaateeta, to transcend the Gunas is the goal.  Sattva is the final step to be Gunaateeta.  Sattva is like fire.  Fire ignites and destroys everything and finally extinguishes.  Sattva destroys Rajas and Tamasa and then it also has to go.

The dominant Guna in a child can be known in the first few months of its birth, say experts.  Some children fix their eyes, without moving their eyelids.  Their eyeball movement is less.  Probably, they are continuing Dhyana practise of their previous birth.  If these children are laid, they do not move much.  Their limb movements and crying are minimum.  These children must be rebirths of Sattva dominant persons.  Limb movements are very brisk in some children.  These do not remain stable in one posture.  Their loud cry reverberates in the entire surroundings.  They seem to be asserting their presence and demanding total attention.  These are Rajas dominant children.  Tamasa dominant child is lethargic and sleepy.

If Sattva shines at the final moment...That seems a good preposition.  The whole life can be spent in pleasure seeking and in activities cherished by mind and Sattva can be switched on in the final days by taking His names.  Rama Nama can be meditated upon when breathe starts being erratic.  Life also is enjoyed and the benefits of Sattva while dying is also accrued.  Seems easy, but not so easy.  The final moment is a continuation of life.  Attitude held the whole life, activity pursued the whole life dominates the mind at the final moment too.  If Sattva had glown during life, final moment would also be Sattvik.  That too may not be certain.

Does He say that everything is predetermined, destined?  Birth, life, factors determining living condition, attitude during life, prevailing thought at the time of death, etc. Are all these determined?  Yes.  These are all determined.  Who determines?  We ourselves.  Imagine self to be a cow.  There is a heap of dried grass before us.  We may kill time lazily and not eat.  We may compete with other cows and eat a lot and suffer later.  We may calmly eat to our hunger, digest and be healthy and happy.  Shri Krishna says, even what we choose to do is not in our hands.  We act according to the Guna in us.  Yes.  That is also true.  But, the Gunas are determined by our own actions and Bhavana (attitude).  Let us not be in a hurry.  We have passed through so many births.  Let us strive with fortitude and total faith (shraddha).  We may need a few more births.  That is all we have in our hands.

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रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते ।

तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥ १५ ॥

Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those attached to action;  so dying in Tamas, he is born in the wombs of irrational.

(XIV - 15)

If one dies when Rajas is dominant, he will be reborn among work-intoxicated men.  He will be intensely involved in work.  Ones who achieved great success through their works in life, have invariably been extremely naughty in their childhood, so active as to give anxious moments to parents.  Those who live prominently Rajasik life die in the same mood.  A trader, who had spent his whole life in stock brokering was admitted in a hospital.  He was semi-conscious.  The doctor came in, checked his temperature and exclaimed, ‘It has risen to 104.  It is too high’.  The trader immediately said, ‘Sell it off.  104 is OK.  I bought it for 80.  If it has risen to 104, that would be a good deal.  Sell it off immediately’.  Every bit of his body and every space in his mind was filled up with thoughts on shares, stock and trading.  His life departs in the same state.

One who dies with dominant Tamasa, is reborn as an idiot among idiots or as an irrational.  He is born as one who can not apply his dicretionary intelligence.  Irrationality is absence of Viveka.  Plants are at the lowest level of irrationality.  Animals are slightly better.  Men have all levels of irrationality.  From those who can not apply intelligence to those who do not have intellectual growth.

A few American doctors have started using psycho analysis to treat patients.  They subject the patient to deep hypnotism and take them to deeper, sub-conscious planes of memory.  ‘The present ailments have their causes in experiences of previous lives’, they say.  If you read their experiences with the patients, you will find that the attitude, the mind-set of persons does not change with passing time and newer births.  The doctors express surprise at this.  There is nothing surprising.  In a society, Sattva dominant men are few.  Tamasik ones are also few.  Most are Rajasik.  That is essential for continuation of worldly life.  A few may change from Tamasa to Rajas.  A few others may change in the opposite direction.  Some may change from Sattva to Rajas or Tamasa and some others in the reverse direction.  Only one in a million discards all the three and steps towards the Paramaatman.  Most, a vast majority retain status-quo,  Surroundings change with newer births.  But attitudes, mind-sets do not.

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कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् ।

रजसस्तु फलं दुःखं अज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥ १६ ॥

The fruit of good action, they say, is Saattvika and pure;  verily, the fruit of Rajas is pain;  and ignorance is the fruit of Tamas.

(XIV - 16)

The work of a Sattvika person is not due to thirst, discontent, incitement or challange.  He does not lose peace if unable to do the work.  He is contented, joyous, and full within.  He does not involve in activity because it is a good work or will cause good to many or under pressure.  Joy in him does not fade if he is denied opportunity to do the work.  He involves in work without excitement and pomp.  He works silently, not compromising on efficiency.  He may be equally at ease in hectic activity and inaction.  He can talk and remain silent too.  His sleep too is peaceful and pleasant.  That this attitude of his will result in pleasure, joy and peace is doubtless.

Rajasik man involves in a work due to an urge that ‘something has to be done’.  The thought, ‘I must do’ is more prominent than ‘it must happen’.  ‘If something good has to happen, it must be through me’.  He is upset if there is nothing to do.  He loses peace if he is deprived of the opportunity to do.  He must be in continuous activity.  Similarly with speech.  He does not bother if it is being recieved by the listener, if it is being useful to the listener.  He must talk.  He can not remain without talking.  He becomes sort of mad,  depressed, if there is no one to talk to.  His organs are like the spirit that appeared from Abdulla’s ‘wonderful lamp’.  These have to be in continuous work.  Mouth must be talking or chewing.  If mouth is shut, ears must be plugged in to some music system.  Sleep too is a work, hectic work for him.  The limbs and the body are on the move.  Sleep is so hectic that he wakes up exhausted.

He was a pracharak of RSS.  After completing a meritorious college education, he was deputed to Kerala to organize the Hindus there.  He remained unmarried and worked in Keralam for more than forty years and built up a massive organization.  He returned to Nagpur in his sixties.  He did not remain idle there too.  He organized hundreds of doctors in Nagpur, motivated them to contribute a day, once a week or fortnight and through them built a large medical center in the outskirts of Nagpur for the villagers.  I came in contact with him when he was eighty.  Our friendship grew thicker.  On some occassions, he used to hold my hands and cry.  “I am restless.  I have no peace within.  Sleep refuses to come near me.  Please help me with some advice for getting peace”, he would plead.  I am younger than him in age as well as experience.  What could I offer him?  I used to sympathise with him.  It won’t be surprising if someone who has spent his life for self, feels restless and thirsty for peace of mind, after retirement from service or trade.  He has never thought about self, never married and worked solely for the society and Nation.  My mind could not understand the reason for his unhappiness.  The reason for his status is his Rajasik nature.  If he had not come to this work, he would have involved in some other hectic, exciting, intense work.  Now, being unable to do anything, he has no option but to lose peace and sleep.  Grief is result of Rajas.

The first casualty of Tamasa is Viveka.  Efforts pursued without Viveka can not cause anything else but ignorance or delusion.  When fog or smoke diminishes sight, when intoxication disturbs vision, we are unable to get a proper knowledge of the object being seen.  Confusion results.  When Buddhi is disturbed due to fading of Viveka...?

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सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च ।

प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोज्ञानमेव च ॥ १७ ॥

From Sattva arises wisdom, and greed from Rajas;  misconception, delusion and ignorance arise from Tamas.

(XIV - 17)

Sattva is born as Viveka is awake.  In other words, Sattva is born from Gyaana.  The result born out of Sattva is also Gyaana.  Cause as well as effect of Sattva is Gyaana.  Rajas and Tamas are also in similar cycles.  Rajas is born from Lobha or greed and greed is born out of Rajas.  Tamasa rises due to delusion, confusion.  Delusion and confusion result from Tamasa.  This is a strange truth.  Even an iota of delusion, or intoxication will instantly incite Tamasa to rise.  Actions under the influence of Tamasa will boost and increase delusion.  Delusion-Tamasa-more delusion-more dominant Tamasa is a natural cycle.  Gradually Tamasa occupies whole space and Viveka is completely destroyed, causing man’s total fall.

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ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।

जघन्य गुण वृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥ १८ ॥

The Sattva-abiding go upwards;  the Raajasika dwell in the middle;  and the Taamasika, abiding in the function of lowest Guna, go downwards.

(XIV - 18)

Sattvastha is firmly anchored to Sattva.  Gyaana and noble deeds result with even a tinge of Sattva Guna arising.  These in turn nourish and increase Sattva.  The destination of this process is when the Jeeva is firmly seated in Sattva.  If pleasure in the priority, then he will reach Swarga, the world of divine pleasures.  If Gyaana is the Jeeva’s priority, then it takes rebirth among the knowledge seekers.  Rajasa ensures status-quo.  He is born again and again in this world of sensual pleasures.  Tamasa pushes downwards.  The jeeva is born among ignorants, irrationals.  He lives as an ignorant.

Oordhvam is upward.  Adho is downward.  These are symbolic words.  The goal of Jeeva is reaching the Paramaatman.  Journey in that direction is upward travel.  Journey away from Him is downward travel.

Let us tabulate Sattva, Rajasa and Tamasa and present a comparative study.  A word of caution.  This should not be applied to evaluate and differentiate others.  It is strictly for evaluating self.

SATVA	RAJAS	TAMAS
Luminous and free from evil.  Bright.  Pure.	Passionate.  Fast.  Full of attachments.	Full of ignorance.
It causes attachment with happiness and knowledge.	Attachment with action.	Attachment with laziness, sleep, miscomprehension and adamance.
Sattva binds Jeeva with pleasure.	Rajas binds with action.	Tamasa binds with adamance.
Sattva emerges suppressing Rajas and Tamasa.	Rajas emerges suppressing Sattva and Tamasa.	Tamasa emerges suppressing Sattva and Rajas.
Sattva is seen and known when the senses glow and knowledge is bright.	When greed, incitement to wok and restlessness rise, we know that Rajas is dominant.	When Dullness, disinterest in action, lack of attention and delusion rise, we know Tamasa is dominant.
If death happens when Sattva is dominant, rebirth is among pleasure seekers or knowledge seekers.	If death occurs when Rajas is dominant, rebirth among intense activists.	If death occurs when Tamasa is dominant, rebirth is among irrational, ignorant men.
The fruits and effect of Sattva are noble deeds, pure knowledge and flawless pleasure.	Effect of Rajas is pain and grief.	Effect of Tamasa is ignorance.
Gyaana arises out of sattva.	Lobha, greed arises from Rajas.	Ignorance, delusion and miscomprehension arise out of Tamasa.
Sattva elevates.	Rajas retains status-quo.	Tamas degrades and pushes down.
Sattvika person remains quiet, peaceful and firm.  He is active early morning.	Rajasik is always excited, tense and anxious.  He is active in nights.	Tamasik remains in sort of semi-conscious state.
His sleep too is quiet and peaceful.  He has a dreamless sleep with not much movements.  He sleeps consciously.	His sleep is active, dynamic, full of movements and sounds.  Sleep tires him and not refresh him.	He is in a state of deep inertia in sleep.  Very difficult to wake him up.

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नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।

गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोधिगच्छति ॥ १९ ॥

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देहि देहसमुद्भवान् ।

जन्ममृत्यु जरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोमृतमश्नुते ॥ २० ॥

When the seer beholds no agent other than the Gunas, and knows That which is higher than the Gunas, he attains to My being.

The embodied one having gone beyond these three Gunasout of which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, decay and pain;  and attains to Immortality.

(XIV – 19, 20)

He gave detailed description of the Gunas, their characteristics, actions, effects etc.  These two shlokams are as though the crown of this chapter.  ‘Travel beyond the Gunas.  Transcend the Gunas.  Do not get entrapped in the play of Gunas.’  This is the essence of these two shokams.

The body is of Prakriti.  The changes, deformation, diseases, are all of Prakriti.  These have not occured in You.  These can not be in You.  You are beyond all these.  Similarly, the Gunas are also of Prakriti.  All the actions are effected by the Gunas.  Gunas are the cause for actions.  Gunas are the performers of actions.  If you regard yourself as the doer of actions, performer of works, that is ignorance.  That is getting trapped in the net of Gunas.  ‘Ahankaara Vimoodhaatma Kartaa Aham’ (III - 27).  ‘The ignorant filled up with Ahankaara regards self to be the doer and traps self in delusion.  One who discard all the three Gunas reaches me,’ said Shri Krishna.  Sattva too, is included.  Sattvika, who indulges in pleasures gained through Sattva or vanity of knowledge, may reach the Swarga, not the Paramaatman.  Only the one who transcends all the three Gunas, who detachs self and sees the play of Gunas, reaches the Paramaatman.

When he works, he feels, ‘I am working’.  ‘I am trading’;  ‘I earn money’;  ‘I purchased a house’;  ‘I am learning’;  ‘I talk’;  ‘I write books’;  ‘I guided him and he is now on right path’; etc.  When he is not able to work, he feels  ‘I am not doing’.  ‘I have given up’;  ‘I have sacrificed’;  ‘Now, I am not the same.  I am changed’, etc.  One of the disciples of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to celebrate Kali Pooja in a big way.  Dozens of goats used to be cut.  It used to a pompous affair.  He was regarded as a great devotee.  One day, he stopped cutting goats and started doing Kali Pooja in a quite and simple way.  “Why?  What happened?  Has your devotion faded?” asked Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.  “No.  My teeth have all gone.  Hence, I have sacrificed mutton eating”, he replied.  He is honest, at least.  He knew and conceded that ‘all these days, I did not do the Pooja for Kali, but for me.  Now, I have given up not for Her, but again for me’.  The Gunas work and not work.  One must remains a witness and watch all these to develop detachment.  Laziness must be seen.  confusion in mind should be observed.  The attitude to put off must be watched.  Urge to do, rising inside, must be seen.  The whilrwind of desire and lust rising inside the mind must be watched.  The desire to experience pleasure must be observed.  One must train to remain aloof and detached.  All the three Gunas can be shirked off.  One who watches the action being performed, does not do.  He does neither Paapa nor Punya.

Not reacting due to inability to act against a more powerful person, is not Shanthi.  Anger arising should be observed from a detached position.  In the beginning, observation may be possible only after anger has played havoc and left its wreckage.  After a few more months of training, anger might be observed while it is in work.  After more persistent training, anger is seen springing, before it develops in size and tenor.  Gradually, anger drops off.  Similar with lust.  Brahmacharya is not a matter of old age, when the body is incapacitated to involve in lust.  Lust must be seen while it is in work overpowering manas, Buddhi and body.  It must be seen when it appears in seed form.  Then, it will drop off.  When the effects of the Gunas are denied, Guna will not grow and dominate.  We may be able to rise beyond the Gunas.

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अर्जुन उवाच -

कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो ।

किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥

Arjuna said:  By what marks, Oh Lord, is he (known) who has gone beyond these three Gunas?  What is his conduct and how does he pass beyond these three Gunas?

(XIV - 21)

This question arises in Arjuna’s mind after he listened to Shri Krishna’s words in the last two shlokams.  Arjuna had asked a similar question in the second chapter about ‘sthitapragya’.  What are the indicators for ‘gunaateeta’?  How does he conduct?  How does he transcend Gunas?

Shri Krishna says, ‘Gunateeta who transcends the three Gunas reaches Me’.  He might have continued to explain Gunateeta without Arjuna’s query.  But, questions are essential in a conversation.  Questions enliven a conversation.  Through these questions, the speaker also knows the state of mind of the listener, his eagerness to listen, his comprehension of the subject being talked and the resultant thoughts arising in his mind.  A great idea that we must know, is hidden in Arjuna’s query and Shri Krishna’s answer.

It is one thing to know the basic idea and entirely another to know the obvious indications.  What is Arjuna’s question?  He wants to know the exterior of a Gunateeta, his conduct etc.  He may also have meant inner indications.  Whatever was Arjuna’s intention, Shri Krishna comes out with the indicators, the inner ones.  He does not describe the exterior indicators.  How was the pre-47 freedom fighter?  He wore shrunk khadder clothes.  How is the worker of the great Nation building organization?  He wears a saffron mark on his forehead and wears white clothes.  He has a bag hanging from his shoulder and sports a big moustache.  How is a naxalite?  He wears rough Khadder clothes, sports beard and smokes bidi.  Many stalwarts in social and newspaper world get trapped in such external indications.  They do not have patience and sincerity too, to read the interior.

On the other hand, what is the intention of the questioner?  This question arises spontaneously on listening to an emotional narration of stories about Natioal freedom struggle.  How were these soldiers who participated in this great struggle?  When he hears about the glorious achievements of RSS, the exemplary service by its volunteers during times of National crises, the listener naturally wants to know how an RSS worker is?  The mind wants to know outward indicators.  Sattvik desire to associate self with greatness is the reason.  The imagination placing self in his glorious position is the reason.  The wish to follow him is the reason.  Knowing the exterior is easy.  Following those is also easy.  Listen to my experience in this regard.

There are two parts in my name.  I write the first letter of both parts in capitals while writing in English and in bold big size while writing in Tamil.  A school student came in close contact, spent a lot of time in my company and learnt many things.  He seemed to be much inspired by me.  He returned to the school after vacation.  The new teacher of new class asked all the students to write their respective names in attendance register.  The next day while reading names of students, he called ‘Ravana’ three or four times.  There was no Ravana in the class and hence no one responded.  Irritated, he shouted, ‘Hey!  Who is that Ravana, next to Tirunavukkarasu?’  “Sir, I am not Ravana.  I am Saravana”, this boy replied.  The teacher asked him to see the register himself and read his name in his own writing.  He had written his name as SaRavanan.  This is copying the exterior under the influence of inspiration.

It is quite easy to know and follow the outer indications.  But, these are insufficient to become ‘him’.  Mahavir was ‘Dig-Ambar’.  Dig is direction and Ambar is cloth.  Directions were his clothes.  He attained this state through his own contemplation and experience.  There are Digambar swamis even today.  We can see them in religious TV channels like Samskar.  Clothless (nude) Sadhus give discourses.  Men surround them when they go up onto the stage.  There are special arrangements to hide their lower bodies.  To become nude or clothless is easy, but to become Digambar is a challange.  Similar is Bhiksha.  Bhiksha is that which falls in the plate while seeking Bhiksha, standing in front of a house, approached without any prior intimation.  It may be a dry fruit, cooked food, burnt bread, broom-stick or abusive words.  If food was not offered, hunger is also accepted joyously.  But, feast cooked after knowing his likes and dislikes and served on his arrival with sufficient prior intimation, is not Bhiksha.  This distortion is due to following the ‘letter’ and not the spirit.  Arjuna probably asked to know the more obvious indications.  But, Shri Krishna gives deeper and subtler indications of Gunateeta.

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श्री भगवानुवाच -

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव ।

न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ॥ २२ ॥

Shree Bhagawaan said:  Oh Paandava!  He who hates not the appearance (in his own mind) of light (the effect of Sattva), activity (the effect of Rajas), and delusion (the effect of Tamas), nor longs for them when absent...

(XIV - 22)

Prakash is the luminance of senses and the inner instruments.  Prakash is that light which empowers the senses to rightly know its objects and that light which empowers the mind to clarify its thoughts and take proper decisions.  Sattva has two attributes, Light and Knowledge (XIV - 11).  Here Shri Krishna mentions only the light, because knowledge can be gained only when the senses, Manas and Buddhi are brightened up.

Pravritti is to be involved in action.  The one who is under the influence of Rajoguna, involves in work with greed, passion and speed (XIV - 12).  These attributes of Rajoguna are not found in Gunaateeta.  But, involvement in action is inevitable so long as body is there.  Gunaateeta’s actions are without any thought about effects or fruits of actions.  Shri Krishna means this when He uses the term ‘Pravritti’.

Moha is delusion disabling the power to discriminate right from wrong, truth from untruth, actions which ought to be done from those which ought not be done.  Moha is also the inability to focus on the work in hand.  This is attribute of Tamasa.  Such a delusion springs up and fades the power of senses in him, who is under the influence of Tamasa (XIV - 13).  The first type of Moha does not rise in a Gunaateeta.  But, the second type which makes him a snake in a rope or criminal in an innocent ot vice versa, is possible in a Gunaateeta.

The Gunaateeta does not hate such Prakasha or action or moha rising in him nor does he desire when these do not rise in him.  He does not scorn when these arise in him nor does he seek those or want those to continue.  These come and go of their own accord.  Gunaateeta is not affected.

Doing is one thing and happening is different.  There is ‘me’ in doing.  There are desires and scorns, likes and dislikes in doing.  There is attachment with the action.  There are many works by Prakriti happening in the world.  The individual life, Jeeva is not responsible for these happenings as well as their ‘good and bad’ effects.  Similarly, the body, senses, mind, Buddhi are aspects of Prakriti and hence works going on these too are of Prakriti.  The Jeeva is not responsible for these works and their ‘good and bad’ effects too.  But, Jeeva binds self with some of these and regards self to be doing these.  He is bound to take effects of these actions too.  The Gunaateeta knows these actions to be of Prakriti and divorces self from these.  He does not do the work.  The works happen.

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उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते ।

गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥ २३ ॥

He who, sitting like one unconcerned, is moved not by the Gunas, who knowing that the Gunas operate, is Self-centered and swerves not...

(XIV - 23)

‘Udaseenavat Aaseena’ means to stay without worry, to sit unconcerned.  Rolling time teaches this attitude.  When we turn back and look at our own past, we find many such fads and passions we held in the past have just dropped off.  We are not concerned about those now.  In my school days, I used to weep if the stove was off when I get up late.  It was an indication suggesting that everyone else had finished their morning coffee.  Now?  I laugh at my silly behaviour then.  Yet, it does not mean we have become Udaaseena or unconcerned.  The cause for our concern or worry has changed, that is all.  If you suggest this idea, they will ask, “How can you not worry?  That is responsibility.  He is diabetic patient.  He recieves advices galore.  I asked him if he worries.  “There is no scarcity for worries”, he would reply.  “Please name a few of those”.  “I have a daughter in America.  She is married for five years now.  She is yet to have a baby.”  You will feel like laughing at him if you heard the list of his worries.  “What can you do?  Why do you worry unnecessarily?”  He would reply, “How can one not worry?  You tell me if that is possible.”  If I want to share with someone my anxiety and grief due to critical illness of my wife, I find that he too has such a case in his house causing anxiety and grief in him.  Disease is of a different type.  I have no option but to regard this as a common phenomenon, do whatever is within my power and be unconcerned and unaffected.

“These are all plays staged by the Gunas and you merely stand aloof and watch the play.  Do not get affected,” says Shri Krishna.  We commoners also experience such a mood on few occassions.  One of my friends was trapped in debts, in millions.  He kept running and hiding for many months to avoid the lenders.  He used to tremble in fear whenever the phone bell rang.  Not to repay was never his intention.  He was trapped in a bad situation.  One day, a different idea rose in him.  ‘What is the worst likely to happen?  Let me face it.”  He started facing the lenders, started welcoming them whenever they came home.  He talked with them.  He listened silently to their talks, nay, abuses.  He trained to take those as though those words were meant for ‘someone else’.  Situation chamged rapidly.  His mind calmed down.  He started being more in open.  The situation at home changed and became more friendly.  Fear vanished.  The whole problem of debt evaporated in the next two years.  His business has grown and he lives a good life today.  Everyone has a problem.  All these are plays of the Prakriti.  These will come and go.  Do not be perturbed when you face these.  Do not be excited when these leave you.  Do not allow these to affect you.  You just stand aloof and watch these come and go.

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समदुःख सुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ।

तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥ २४ ॥

मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः ।

सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥ २५ ॥

Alike in pleasure and pain, Self-abiding, regarding a clod of earth, a stone and gold alike, the same to agreeable and disagreeable, firm, the same in censure and praise....

the same in honour and disgrace, the same to friend and foe, relinquishing all undertakings, - he is said to have gone beyond the Gunas, (Gunaateetha).

(XIV – 24, 25)

There is a majestic palace.  There is only one entry door to it.  There are many paths leading to the palace.  Traveller on any path has to cross this only door to enter the palace.  Similarly, the qualities discussed here are the final door of entry into the Paramaatman.  The seeker may have travelled on any path.  He has to finally take this door to reach the Paramaatman.  One travelling on the Path of Gyaana and reaching this door is called Sthita Pragya.  Shri Krishna had explained the indicators of a Sthita Pragya in eighteen shlokams starting from ‘Duhkheshwanudwigna manaah...(Chapter II – Sh 55 to 72).  He does not stick to pleasure and does not get stumbled by grief.  Favourable occurance does not excite him and unfavourable ones does not depress.  The seeker traversing ‘Karma Marga’ also reaches this entrance and is called Yogee or Yogaaroodha.  He is ‘Samah siddhaavasiddhoucha..(IV - 22).  He retains his equipoise when faced with success or failure.  Vidya vinaya sampanna.. (V - 18). The Yogee sees a learned and humble Brahmin, a cow, dog, an elephant and an idiot equally.  Yogee has been further described as ‘Sheetoshna sukha duhkheshu tathaa ...(VI – 7, 8, & 9).  He is same in hot and cool environment, honour and dishonour, pain and pleasure.  Sand and diamonds are same to him.  Friend, foe, beloved, hater, noble and sinner, are all same to him.  Seeker on the path of devotion, Bhakti Marga also finally arrives at this entrance before reaching the destination.  Shri Krishna mentions these same traits of His beloved devotee in chapter XII (Shlokam 13 - 19).  Traveller on any path has to reach this state of a Gunaateeta before uniting with the Paramaatman.  The traits of a Gyaani, KarmaYogee, a devotee are the same as a Gunaateeta.

Equipoise, remaining unperturbed in all situations, is the common trait in all these.  Equal in pain and pleasure;  equal in honour and dishonour;  equal in appreciation and derision;  equal with friend and a foe;  unperturbed by fruits or effects of actions;  same to stone, gold, and various worldly objects;  same regard for men inspite of differences.  Equal in taking experiences obtained through environments objects or men, equal in dealing objects without classifying as high and low, equal approach to men inspite of all variations and differences.  The differences are of Prakriti.  Gunaateeta does not allow those differences to disturb his inner self.  This may be regarded as the essence or prime idea of the Gita.  Shri Krishna talks gloriously about this idea.  More than anything, equanimity of mind is essential to attain oneness with the Paramaatman.  This without anything else will ensure union with Him.  Everything else without this are of no use.

Shri Krishna mentioned equipoise as a trait of Gunaateeta.  He mentions ‘swasthah’ or to remain firmly fixed on own real Nature, the Aatman, as one more trait of a Gunaateeta.  One who anchors on pleasures and pains can not remain fixed on Aatman.  Pain and pleasure appear different to us.  We regard anything we desire to get as pleasure and that we do not desire as pain.  We get fixed to these.  As and when we can get fixed on Aatman, these become same and equal to us.  Gautam Buddha was asked what he gained when he attained knowledge.  “I had not lost anything to gain.  I did not gain anything.  I just realized this was the real ‘Me’, Sat, Chit and Ananda.  I did not gain anything new.  I merely lost the ignorance I had accumulated and the real ‘me’ was visible.  It was invisible to me as I was turned towards a wrong direction.  I merely changed the dirction I looked, to the right one and instantly I could my real Form”, Gautam Buddha replied.  There is story about Mulla Naseeruddin.  It was month of Ramjan.  Fasting muslims won’t eat anything and break their fast, if they do not see the moon.  Mulla went to the well at dusk time.  He saw the moon in the well.  He was worried.  People will not be able to eat if the moon is not in the sky.  So, he wanted to help the people by taking the moon out of the well and replacing it in the sky.  He put a long rope into the well to take out the moon.  The rope got caught in a sharp stone.  The mulla pulled the rope with all his might.  The rope got cut and the mulla fell flat on his back.  Now, he was the sky and he could the moon in its place.  He was happy that he could retrieve the moon and put it back in its place and help the people.  The moon was always in its place.  The Mulla was looking in a wrong direction.  When he finally turned to the right direction, he could see the moon.

Shri Krishna explains the attitudes and says one with these is known as a Gunaateeta.  Man’s real Nature is beyond Gunas, unchangeable.  These attitudes are of Prakriti and are changeable.  These are not indications of his real Nature, the Aatman.  These are of manas, considered as his.  Aatman can not be known through these.  These are effects of Prakriti.  But, He is the cause.  Effects can not make you know the Cause.

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मां च योव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते ।

स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥ २६ ॥

And he who serves Me with an unswerving devotion, he, going beyond the Gunas, is fit for becoming Brahman.

(XIV - 26)

The term, ‘Avyabhichari Bhakti’ has come at a few places.  Vyabhichari is prostitute.  She can be with a man without any emotion for him, just for the money he gives.  The only thought filled up in her mind is her own desires and the money required for fulfilling those.  These words may sound harsh.  But, is God in our minds when we engage in His prayer and worship?  Our own desires, our demands, our plans to get those fulfilled and our anxiety and doubt about getting, are all in our minds.  We just need an agency to fulfill those and approach Him for that.  We try other means too.  ‘Let us ask him.  If he is not amenable, then we will go to another’.  This is our attitude about worship and prayers.  A Pativrata, woman devoted to her husband, may be involved in any work, her mind is filled about thoughts on her husband all times.  Likewise, involving on His devotion with total thoughts on Him, nothing about anything else, as Avyabhichari Bhakti.  The term ‘Swasthah’ used in 24^th shlokam carries this same meaning.  Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa has beautiful analogue to explain this.  The village lady carries four or five water pots, one over another, on her head.  She walks easily, conversing with others but her mind is always engaged on the pots.  If those seem to be disturbed, her hand involuntarily goes up to adjust.  Similar is a mother, engaged in so many worls but mind always on the child playing outside.  That is worship of Him Avyabhichari Bhakti.  Such a devotee becomes eligible to transcen the three Gunas.

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ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च ।

शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च ॥ २७ ॥

For I am the Abode of Brahman, the Immortal and Immutable, of everlasting Dharma and of Absolute Bliss.

(XIV - 27)

This last shlokam of fourteenth chapter is laying base for the next chapter, ‘Purushottama Yog’.  In this, Shri Krishna uses four adjectives for Self.  I am the Abode of Brahman, am the Imperishable and Immortal, am the eternal Dharma, and am Absolute Bliss.  I am not separate from Brahman.  I am Brahman and Brahman is Me.  I am the Immortal and Imperishable.  Immortal amd Imperishable is Me.  I am the Eternal Dharma.  Eternal Dharma is Me.  I am the Ultimate Joy.  Ultimate Joy is Me.

There are two aspects of Brahman.  Formless and Manifested Brahman.  The ignited fire is fire with Form or manifested fire.  The fire latent, unmanifested in the wood is Formless fire.  These two are not different from each other.  These are two types only for the seekers.  Cooked rice or Annam is relishing to the tongue, and aromatic to the nose.  Tasty rice and Aromatic rice are not different.  These are One.

He says ‘Amrutam ashnute’, attains he Amrita (XIII – 12, XIV - 20).  Amrutam, the Imperishable and Shri Krishna are One and the same, not separate.

Dharma is eternal.  Dharma has always been.  It (Hindu Dharma) has not been originated by any human on a perticular date.  It will always be there.  The basic ideas based on Dharma have been elaborated in the Vedas and the Vedas too are not man-created and are eternal.  The guiding rules and regulations of a religion are not Dharma.  Smritis are explanations of regulations and rules to be followed in life.  Smritis are based on Dharma.  Smritis have been written and hence perishable.  Smritis are changeable with time.  Dharma will not perish with smritis.  Shri Krishna is Dharma.  Dharma and Shri Krishna are not different, but Same.

Ekantika Sukham is undiminishing, Pure Joy.  That is Ultimate state.  Brahma, Shri Krishna, Amrita, Dharma, Parama Sukham are all One and the same.

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ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जून संवादे 'गुणत्रय विभाग योगो' नाम चतुर्दशोध्यायः ॥

Thus concludes ‘Gunatraya Vibhaaga Yog’, the fourteenth chapter in the grand dialogue between Shree Krishna and Arjuna, called the Shreemad Bhagawad Geetha, which is verily an Upanishad, elaborating on ‘The Divine Knowledge’ and also describing the ‘Way to Godhood’.

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