॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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In fact, the essence of Sanatana Dharma can be summarised thus:
- There is one Bhagavan, Ishwara, Paramatma, and Parabrahman, who creates, permeates, sustains and dissolves the manifest universe as a Leela, or play.
- Each individual, or Jiva, is a combination of Purusha (Atma) and Prakriti (the universe, senses and mind).
- The Prakriti is made up of three Gunas - Sattva (sustaining essence of purity), Rajas (action and acquisitiveness) and Tamas (dormancy and exploitation).
- Each human being has an equal opportunity under the watch of Bhagavan to pursue his and others' righteous welfare- Dharma, material pursuits for a better life here (Artha), satisfying one's desires of the body and mind (Kama) and the final goal of all existence, to dissolve into Paramatma through Bhakti/Yoga.
- The world is made up of the five elements which are not dormant or unconscious, they are indeed the drivers of Prakriti in a cascading world order.
- The six enemies we should conquer for permanent bliss and peace within are - Kama (desire/lust), Krodha (anger) Lobha (greed), Moha (infatuation), Mada (Arrogance) and matsarya (jealousy). These come as the emotions arising from the three Gunas and one's pursuit of outer goals and interactions instead of going within oneself to reach Paramatma.
In this chapter, Bhagavan explains the dramatic interplay of the three Gunas and how to overcome their deleterious effects. This is the crux of Bhagavan's message also in the Srimad Bhagavadgita Chapters 14, 17 and a large part of 18! I shall reproduce the shlokas of Chapter 25 here and their translation in their entirety.
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The Three Gunas of Prakriti and going beyond them
श्रीभगवानुवाच
गुणानामसम्मिश्राणां पुमान् येन यथा भवेत् । तन्मे पुरुषवर्येदमुपधारय शंसत: ॥
T: Bhagavan said: Oh, Uddhava, the best among men, please listen as I describe to you how the living entity attains a particular nature by association with individual Gunas of Prakriti, separating their respective effects theoretically (since the Gunas are always in a threeway mix).
शमो दमस्तितिक्षेक्षा तप: सत्यं दया स्मृति: । तुष्टिस्त्यागोऽस्पृहा श्रद्धा ह्रीर्दयादि: स्वनिर्वृति: ॥
काम ईहा मदस्तृष्णा स्तम्भ आशीर्भिदा सुखम् । मदोत्साहो यश:प्रीतिर्हास्यं वीर्यं बलोद्यम: ॥
क्रोधो लोभोऽनृतं हिंसा याच्ञा दम्भ: क्लम: कलि: ।शोकमोहौ विषादार्ती निद्राशा भीरनुद्यम: ॥
सत्त्वस्य रजसश्चैतास्तमसश्चानुपूर्वश: । वृत्तयो वर्णितप्राया: सन्निपातमथो शृणु ॥
T: Mind and sense control, forbearance, discrimination, sticking to one’s prescribed Dharma, truthfulness, compassion, mindful contemplation of the past and future, contentment in any condition, generosity, renunciation of sense gratification, faith in the Guru, being embarrassed by omissions and commissions of conduct, charity, simplicity, humility and self-satisfaction (inner cheer) are qualities of Sattva or the mode of goodness.
Material desires, great endeavour, audacity, discontent even in gain, arrogance, praying for material advancement, considering oneself different from and better than others, sense gratification, an impetuous urge to pick a fight, a fondness for hearing oneself flattered, the tendency to ridicule others, advertising one’s own prowess, and justifying one’s actions by one’s strength are qualities of Rajas or the mode of passion.
Intolerance, rage, stinginess, speaking without scriptural authority (wokeism), violent hatred, living as a parasite exploiting others, hypocrisy, enervation, quarrelsomeness, lamentation and complaining always, delusion, inner lack of cheer (unhappiness), depression, sleeping too much, grandiose expectations, fear and laziness constitute the major qualities of Tamas or the mode of ignorance. Now please hear about the combination of these three modes.
सन्निपातस्त्वहमिति ममेत्युद्धव या मति: । व्यवहार: सन्निपातो मनोमात्रेन्द्रियासुभि: ॥
T: My dear Uddhava, the combination of all three Gunas is present in the mentality of “I” and “mine.” The ordinary transactions of this world, carried out through the agency of the mind, the objects of perception, the senses and the Pranas (vital airs of the physical body), are also based on the combination of the modes. So no one is ever exclusively in one Guna.
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च यदासौ परिनिष्ठित: । गुणानां सन्निकर्षोऽयं श्रद्धारतिधनावह: ॥
T: When a person devotes himself to Dharma, Artha and Kama, the faith, wealth and sensual enjoyment obtained by his endeavours display the interaction of the three Gunas.
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणे निष्ठा पुमान् यर्हि गृहाश्रमे । स्वधर्मे चानुतिष्ठेत गुणानां समितिर्हि सा ॥
T: When a man feels Kama or desires sense gratification, being attached to family life, and when he consequently becomes established in Dharma and Artha or duties and occupation, the combination of the Gunas is manifest.
पुरुषं सत्त्वसंयुक्तमनुमीयाच्छमादिभि: ।कामादिभी रजोयुक्तं क्रोधाद्यैस्तमसा युतम् ॥
T: A person exhibiting qualities such as self-control is understood to be predominantly in the mode of Sattva or goodness. Similarly, a passionate person (Rajasic) is recognized by his lust, and one in ignorance (Tamasic) is recognized by qualities such as anger.
यदा भजति मां भक्त्या निरपेक्ष: स्वकर्मभि: । तं सत्त्वप्रकृतिं विद्यात् पुरुषं स्त्रियमेव वा ॥
T: Any person, whether man or woman, who worships Bhagavan with loving devotion, offering his or her prescribed duties to the Lord without material attachment, is understood to be situated in Sattva.
यदा आशिष आशास्य मां भजेत स्वकर्मभि: ।तं रज:प्रकृतिं विद्यात् हिंसामाशास्य तामसम् ॥
T: When a person worships through his prescribed duties with the hope of gaining material benefit, his nature should be understood to be Rajasic or in passion, and one who worships with the desire to commit violence against others is in Tamas or ignorance.
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणा जीवस्य नैव मे । चित्तजा यैस्तु भूतानां सज्जमानो निबध्यते ॥
T: The three Gunas - sattva, Rajas and Tamas— influence the living entity but not Bhagavan. Manifesting within his mind, they induce the living entity to become attached to material bodies and other created objects. In this way, the living entity is bound up in this cycle of life and death.
यदेतरौ जयेत् सत्त्वं भास्वरं विशदं शिवम् । तदा सुखेन युज्येत धर्मज्ञानादिभि: पुमान् ॥
T: When Sattva, which is luminous, pure and auspicious, predominates over Rajas and Tamas, a man becomes endowed with happiness, virtue, knowledge and other good qualities.
यदा जयेत्तम: सत्त्वं रज: सङ्गं भिदा चलम् ।तदा दु:खेन युज्येत कर्मणा यशसा श्रिया ॥
T: When Rajas, which causes attachment, separatism and activity, conquers Tamas and Sattva, a man begins to work hard to acquire prestige and fortune. Thus in Rajas, he experiences anxiety and struggle. (Type A).
यदा जयेद् रज: सत्त्वं तमो मूढं लयं जडम् ।युज्येत शोकमोहाभ्यां निद्रयाहिंसयाशया ॥
T: When Tamas conquers Rajas and Sattva, it covers one’s consciousness and makes one foolish and dull. Falling into lamentation and illusion, a person in Tamas sleeps excessively, indulges in false hopes, and displays violence toward others.
यदा चित्तं प्रसीदेत इन्द्रियाणां च निर्वृति: ।देहेऽभयं मनोऽसङ्गं तत् सत्त्वं विद्धि मत्पदम् ॥
T: When consciousness becomes clear and the senses are detached from matter, one experiences fearlessness within the material body and detachment from the material mind. You should understand this situation to be the predominance of Sattva, in which one has the opportunity to realize the Ultimate.
विकुर्वन् क्रियया चाधीरनिवृत्तिश्च चेतसाम् ।गात्रास्वास्थ्यं मनो भ्रान्तं रज एतैर्निशामय ॥
T: You should discern Rajas by its symptoms — the distortion of the intelligence because of too much activity, the inability of the perceiving senses to disentangle themselves from mundane objects, an unhealthy condition of the working physical organs, and the unsteady perplexity of the mind.
सीदच्चित्तं विलीयेत चेतसो ग्रहणेऽक्षमम् ।मनो नष्टं तमो ग्लानिस्तमस्तदुपधारय ॥
T: When one’s higher awareness fails and finally disappears and one is thus unable to concentrate his attention, his mind is ruined and manifests ignorance and depression. You should understand this situation to be the predominance of Tamas. The Dark Ages!
एधमाने गुणे सत्त्वे देवानां बलमेधते ।असुराणां च रजसि तमस्युद्धव रक्षसाम् ॥
T: With the increase of Sattva, the strength of the gods inherent in man similarly increases. When Rajas increases, the Asuras become strong. And with the rise of Tamas, O Uddhava, the strength of the most wicked, i.e. Rakshasas, increases.
सत्त्वाज्जागरणं विद्याद् रजसा स्वप्नमादिशेत् ।प्रस्वापं तमसा जन्तोस्तुरीयं त्रिषु सन्ततम् ॥
T: It should be understood that alert wakefulness comes from Sattva, sleep with dreaming from the mode of Rajas, and deep, dreamless sleep from Tamas. The fourth state of consciousness or Turiya, famous in our scriptures, pervades these three and is transcendental.
उपर्युपरि गच्छन्ति सत्त्वेन ब्राह्मणा जना: । तमसाधोऽध आमुख्याद् रजसान्तरचारिण: ॥
T: Learned persons dedicated to Vedic Dharma are elevated by Sattva to higher and higher positions, life after life. The mode of Tamas, on the other hand, forces one to fall headfirst into lower and lower births. And by Rajas, one continues transmigrating through human bodies in pursuit of one's unfulfilled desires.
सत्त्वे प्रलीना: स्वर्यान्ति नरलोकं रजोलया: ।तमोलयास्तु निरयं यान्ति मामेव निर्गुणा: ॥
T: Those who leave this world in the mode of goodness go to heavenly abodes, those who pass away in the mode of passion remain in the world of human beings, and those dying in the mode of ignorance must go to hell. But those who are free from the influence of all modes of nature come to me, i.e. Bhagavan!
मदर्पणं निष्फलं वा सात्त्विकं निजकर्म तत् ।राजसं फलसङ्कल्पं हिंसाप्रायादि तामसम् ॥
T: Work performed as an offering to me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in Sattva. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in Rajas. And work impelled by violence and envy is in Tamas.
कैवल्यं सात्त्विकं ज्ञानं रजो वैकल्पिकं च यत् ।प्राकृतं तामसं ज्ञानं मन्निष्ठं निर्गुणं स्मृतम् ॥
T: The knowledge of absolute singularity is in Sattva, knowledge based on duality is in Rajas, and foolish, materialistic knowledge is in Tamas. The knowledge centred in Bhagavan, (which increases Bhakti (Gita: ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते) however, is understood to be transcendental i.e takes one beyond the Gunas.
वनं तु सात्त्विको वासो ग्रामो राजस उच्यते । तामसं द्यूतसदनं मन्निकेतं तु निर्गुणम् ॥
T: Residence in the forest is preferred by the Sattvic, residence in a town is for those in Rajas, staying in a gambling house displays the quality of Tamas, and residence in a place where I reside is transcendental (Paramdhama).
सात्त्विक: कारकोऽसङ्गी रागान्धो राजस: स्मृत: । तामस: स्मृतिविभ्रष्टो निर्गुणो मदपाश्रय: ॥
T: A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness, a worker blinded by personal desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter in Bhagavan is understood to be transcendental to the modes of nature.
सात्त्विक्याध्यात्मिकी श्रद्धा कर्मश्रद्धा तु राजसी । तामस्यधर्मे या श्रद्धा मत्सेवायां तु निर्गुणा ॥
T: Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of Sattva, faith rooted in fruitive work is in Rajas, faith residing in unethical activities is in Tamas, but faith in service through Bhakti is purely transcendental.
पथ्यं पूतमनायस्तमाहार्यं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ।राजसं चेन्द्रियप्रेष्ठं तामसं चार्तिदाशुचि ॥
T: Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in the mode of ignorance.
सात्त्विकं सुखमात्मोत्थं विषयोत्थं तु राजसम् ।तामसं मोहदैन्योत्थं निर्गुणं मदपाश्रयम् ॥
T: Happiness derived from the self is in the mode of goodness, happiness based on sense gratification is in the mode of passion, and happiness based on delusion and degradation is in the mode of ignorance. But that happiness found within Paramatma is transcendental.
द्रव्यं देश: फलं कालो ज्ञानं कर्म च कारक: ।श्रद्धावस्थाकृतिर्निष्ठा त्रैगुण्य: सर्व एव हि ॥
T: Therefore material substance, place, result of activity, time, knowledge, work, the performer of work, faith, state of consciousness, species of life and destination after death are all based on the three modes of material nature, the Gunas of Prakriti!
सर्वे गुणमया भावा: पुरुषाव्यक्तधिष्ठिता: ।दृष्टं श्रुतमनुध्यातं बुद्ध्या वा पुरुषर्षभ ॥
T: Uddhava, Oh the best among human beings, all states of material being are related to the interaction of the enjoying soul and material nature. Whether seen, heard of or only conceived within the mind, they are without exception constituted of the Gunas of Prakriti.
एता: संसृतय: पुंसो गुणकर्मनिबन्धना: ।येनेमे निर्जिता: सौम्य गुणा जीवेन चित्तजा: ।
भक्तियोगेन मन्निष्ठो मद्भावाय प्रपद्यते ॥
T: Oh gentle Uddhava, all these different phases of conditioned life arise from work born of Gunas. The living entity who conquers these modes manifested from the mind, can dedicate himself to Bhagavan through Bhakti Yoga explained already and thus attain pure love for the Lord.
तस्माद् देहमिमं लब्ध्वा ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्भवम् ।गुणसङ्गं विनिर्धूय मां भजन्तु विचक्षणा: ॥
T: Therefore, having achieved this human form of life, which allows one to develop full knowledge, intelligent people should free themselves from all contamination of the Gunas and engage exclusively Bhakti Yoga.
नि:सङ्गो मां भजेद् विद्वानप्रमत्तो जितेन्द्रिय: ।रजस्तमश्चाभिजयेत् सत्त्वसंसेवया मुनि: ॥
T: A wise sage, free from all material association and unbewildered, should subdue his senses and worship me. He should conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by engaging himself only with things in the mode of goodness.
सत्त्वं चाभिजयेद् युक्तो नैरपेक्ष्येण शान्तधी: ।सम्पद्यते गुणैर्मुक्तो जीवो जीवं विहाय माम् ॥
T: Then, being fixed in Bhakti Yoga, the sage should also conquer the material mode of goodness by indifference toward the Gunas. Thus pacified within his mind, the Atma, freed from the Gunas, gives up the very cause of his Jiva state or conditioned life and attains Paramatma.
जीवो जीवविनिर्मुक्तो गुणैश्चाशयसम्भवै: ।मयैव ब्रह्मणा पूर्णो न बहिर्नान्तरश्चरेत् ॥
T: True freedom from the Gunas means the Atma goes beyond the limitations of the Jiva due to the bonds of the Gunas. He becomes subsumed in Parabrahman or Bhagavan and has no further distance to cover either within or without!
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