Chapter XV
Classification of three Gunas
This chapter discusses the glory of Knowledge and evolution of the world from Prakriti and Purusa, description of threefold qualities- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. It also discusses means of God realisation and marks of a soul who had transcended the Gunas. Shri Bhagwan says that he would discuss once more the supreme wisdom, the best of all wisdoms, acquiring which all the sages have attained the highest perfection being liberated from this mundane existence. Those who, by practising this wisdom have entered into His Being are not born again at the cosmic dawn nor feel disturbed during cosmic night. God’s primordial nature, known as the great Brahma, is the womb of all creatures, is that womb where God places the seed of all life. The creation of all beings follow from that union of matter and spirit. Arjuna of all the embodied beings that appear in all the species of diverse kinds, Prakriti is the conceiving mother while God is the seed giving father. The three qualities of Prakriti- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas tie down the imperishable soul to a body. Of these Sattva, being immaculate, is illuminating and flawless. It binds through identification with joy and wisdom. Arjuna know the quality of Rajas, which is nature of passion, as born of cupidity and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to actions and their fruits. And know Tamas, the deluder of all those who look upon the body as their own self, as born of ignorance. It binds the sou through error, sloth and sleep. Arjuna Sattva drives one to joy, and Rajas to action, while Tamas clouding wisdom incites one to errwor as well as to sleep and sloth. Overpowering Rajas and Tamas Sattva prevails, overpowering Sattva and Tamas, Rajas prevails and even so overpowering Sattva and Rajas, Tamas prevails. When light and discernment dawns in this body, as well as in the mind and senses, then know that Sattva is predominant. With the preponderance of Rajas greed, activity, undertaking of action with an interested motive and a thirst for enjoyment make their appearance. With the growth of Tamas obtuseness of mind and the senses, disinclination to perform one’s obligatory duties frivolity and stupor appear. When a man dies of preponderance of Sattva he obtains the stainless ethereal world ( Heaven) attained by the men of noble deeds. When Rajas predominates he is born among those attached to actions and when a man expires when Tamas is predominant he is reborn in the species of stupid creatures such as insects and beasts. The reward of a righteous act, they say in Sattvika that is faultless ( in the shape of joy, wisdom, dispassion, etc.). Sorrow is declared to be result of Rajasika act and ignorance, the fruit of Tamasika act. Wisdom follows from Sattva, and greed undoubtedly ensues from Rajas, likewise obstinate, error, stupor and also ignorance from Tamas. Those who abide in the quality of Sattva wend their way upward, while those of Rajasika disposition stay in the middle; and those of Tamasika, enveloped as they are in the effects of Tamoguna sink down. When the seer perceives no agent other than the three Gunas, and realises Him, the supreme spirit standing beyond these Gunas, he enters into God’s being. Having transcended these three Gunas which have caused the body and freed from birth, death, old age, and all kinds of sorrows, this soul attains Supreme Bliss. Pandava Prince asks Sri Bhagwan about the marks of a person who has risen above thee gunas and his conduct and the way in which he can transcend three Gunas. Lord replies that he who hates not light ( born of Sattva), and activity( begotten of Rajas) and even stupor (born of Tamas) when prevalent, does not long for them when they have ceased. He who sitting like a witness, is not disturbed by the Gunas, and who knowing that the Gunas alone move among the Gunas, remains established in identity with God and never falls off from that state. He, who is indifferent to honour and ignominy is alike to the cause of a friend as well as a foe, and has renounced the sense of doership in all undertakings is said to have risen above the three Gunas. He too who constantly worships God through the Yoga of exclusive devotion transcending these three Gunas, he becomes eligible for attaining Brahma for God is the ground of imperishable Brahma of immortality, of the eternal virtue and of unending (immutable) bliss.
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