Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna:
“I will again reveal the highest knowledge and the epitome of knowledge, by knowing it, the saints have been released from this world and attained the epitome of perfection. (XIV; 1)
Taking recourse in this knowledge, and imbibing the qualities of my Nature, they are not reborn at the time of creation nor affected at the time of dissolution. (XIV; 2)
O Arjuna! My womb is the great Brahma (Prakriti), wherein I implant the seed, all beings are born from it, O Bharata. (XIV; 3)
O Arjuna! Whatsoever forms are born in the wombs, great Brahma (Prakriti) is their womb, and I am the Father who implants the seed. (XIV; 4)”
The womb where all beings are born is Prakriti, the Primordial Mother— the Adi Shakti. The seed is implanted by the Primordial Father—God Almighty.
Lord Krishna continues:
“O Arjuna! From Prakriti emanate three kinds of modes called Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas. These bridle the immortal dweller in the body. (XIV; 5)”
According to ancient scriptures, three shaktis or energies emanated from the Adi Shakti. They manifested three modes (gunas)—Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas—respectively. The permutations and combinations of these three modes create, preserve, and transform everything in the universe.
In the previous chapter, it was stated that the Spirit is the knower of the field and is not affected by its modifications. However, though the Spirit is never tainted, it is fettered by the three modes because of ignorance cast by Maya.
Lord Krishna explains the three gunas:
“O Arjuna! Of them, Sattwa, being pure, leads to enlightenment and well-being. It fetters by attachment to happiness and knowledge. (XIV; 6)
O Arjuna! Understand Rajas to be of the nature of passion arising from yearning and attachment. It fetters the embodied spirit by attachment to the fruit of action. (XIV; 7)
O Arjuna! Understand that Tamas arises from ignorance. It deludes the embodied spirit by attachment to lethargy, negligence, and sleep. (XIV; 8)
O Arjuna! Sattwa causes attachment to happiness, Rajas to action, but Tamas eclipses wisdom and attaches to inertia. (XIV; 9)”
The three modes of nature cause three configurations of the mind. Rajo guna is caused by the configuration of ego. Tamo guna is caused by the configuration of conditioning or super ego. Sattwa guna is the configuration where one tries to rise above ego and conditioning. It is the state most conducive for learning. But if a seeker gets obsessed with learning for the sake of learning, he loses the plot.
Lao Tze states:
“To attain knowledge, add every day.
To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”
Thus, Sattwa guna gets knotted if a seeker goes on knocking at the door without knowing what to seek! Furthermore, a Sattwic person could have a mental obsession for doing charity, non-violence, non-accumulation, tolerance, sympathy, and indiscriminate trust. As he seeks credit for being righteous, he falls back into the ego.
For instance, busy bees and social workers get caught in the ego—“we are doing for others.” Even while performing a duty or social service, the ego plays up in the guise of doing a noble deed.
A Rajasic configuration gets knotted when a person becomes so futuristic that he cannot stop planning. He tries to keep future events under the control of the ego, and thus, the fear of leaving things to chance binds him. Furthermore, as the future does not exist, his planning recoils, and thus, he suffers from chronic anxiety. In extreme cases, he becomes manic.
The Tamasic configuration is the opposite of the Rajasic. While the Rajasic is luminous like the Sun, the Tamasic is dark and dense. While the Rajasic is the aggressive solar energy, the Tamasic is the lunar energy that accepts aggression.
- While the Rajasic is an extrovert, the Tamasic is an introvert.
- While the Rajasic is overconfident, the Tamasic doubts himself.
- While the Rajasic is so futuristic that he forgets the past, the Tamasic lives in the past and is oblivious of the present.
- While the Rajasic gets bound by overactivity, the Tamasic gets knotted by inertia.
Lord Krishna further states:
“O Arjuna! Overcoming Rajas and Tamas, Sattwa dominates. Overcoming Sattwa and Tamas, Rajas dominates. Overcoming Sattwa and Rajas, Tamas dominates. (XIV; 10)”
In the wakefulness of the morning, we are clear-headed, and our attention is alert. In this state, Sattwa prevails over the other two states of Rajas and Tamas. However, as the day wears on, the urge to accomplish surges, and the Rajasic state takes over. After a heavy day’s work, Tamas slows us down.
Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna:
“When wisdom illuminates all the gateways of the body, then one can know that Sattwa has exceeded.” (XIV; 11)
The state of Sattwa is achieved through adherence to goodness in all aspects of life. Wisdom illuminates our good conditionings. However, according to Freud, we should erase all conditioning. Another, like Sartre, said that willpower should be increased. By this, we become horse riders. Though good conditionings (su samskars) are helpful, willpower is an important element.
For instance, if a child is told that he should not tell lies, then he needs willpower to implement it.
Lord Krishna continues:
“O Arjuna! When Rajas exceed, then avariciousness, action, venturesomeness, agitation, and yearning emerge.” (XIV; 12)
Rajas is fueled by excitement. It manifests a lifestyle of self-projection. For instance, social media has become a game where each player tries to score a goal—seeking validation or evoking envy. But in the end, there are no winners because the players who try to impress others, in turn, get befooled by the selfies projected by them. We cannot use artificial means to impress others.
“O Arjuna! When Tamas exceeds, then ignorance, lethargy, negligence, and infatuation arise.” (XIV; 13)
The Tamas energy is of a lunar nature—cold, subdued, romantic, and melancholy. The attention clouded by Tamas becomes drowsy and dull. The individual loses interest in action and the outside world. As his judgment gets dense, he forgets the realities of life and loses human values. Hence, he seeks fulfillment in dreams or a make-believe world. But as the past does not exist, he cannot be fulfilled.
“When Sattwa predominates and the embodied spirit meets death, then such a being attains the pure sphere of those who know the highest state.” (XIV; 14)
“When Rajas predominates and he meets death, then he takes birth among the action-oriented. The one who meets death when Tamas predominates is born among the ignorant.” (XIV; 15)
When the body is annihilated, the non-physical mind continues according to its antecedent state of the three modes. It enters:
- The realm of happiness and knowledge if Sattwa prevailed in the preceding state.
- The realm of agitation if Rajas prevailed.
- The realm of ignorance and suffering if Tamas prevailed.
Thus, the dominating mode determines the onward journey of the Spirit.
The Tamas manifests in the gross left-side sympathetic nervous system called the Ida Nadi. This channel culminates in the subconscious. Hence, after death, a Tamasic person recedes into the collective subconscious of the universe.
The Rajas manifests in the right-side sympathetic nervous system, or the sun channel, called the Pingala Nadi. This channel culminates in the supra-conscious. Hence, after death, such a person recedes into the collective supra-conscious of the universe.
The Sattwa manifests in the parasympathetic nervous system, the central channel, also known as the Sushumna Nadi. After death, a Sattwic person follows the path of the Spirit.
Lord Krishna explains:
“It is said that the fruit of good deeds arising from Sattwa is pure and gives happiness. Whereas the fruit of Rajas is suffering, the fruit of Tamas is delusion.” (XIV; 16)
Sattwa is the state of balance that keeps the seeker on the evolutionary track, whereas the Rajas-Tamas configurations deviate from it.
- The Rajasic are driven to exploit the full satisfaction produced by the stimulation of the senses. Thus, a Rajasic person takes alcohol, drugs, etc., to sedate his ego.
- Conversely, a Tamasic person suffers from an inappropriate use of imagination, such as acceptance of fake symbols, mistaken doctrines, and teachings of false gurus.
“Sattwa leads to knowledge, Rajas to greed, and negligence and infatuation arise from Tamas, along with delusion.” (XIV; 17)
“The Sattwa-centric ascend, the Rajas-centric stagnate; the Tamas-centric, gripped by the lowest modes, descend lower and lower.” (XIV; 18)
The Rajasic-Tamasic centric acknowledge the evidence of only human intelligence and regard this sensible world, to which they attach themselves sensuously, as the only reality. They roam forever confused regarding the unseen reality.
Lord Krishna declares:
“When the adept realizes that there is no catalyst other than the modes and perceives what is beyond the modes, then he attains My Being.” (XIV; 19)
“Transcending the three modes of nature, which constitute his mortal body, the embodied Self becomes released from birth, death, old age, and suffering, and attains the highest state.” (XIV; 20)
Bewitched by the modes of nature, human beings never stop running after them. Trapped in their illusory world, they lose their relationship with the whole. Merely learning about the modes does not give the nectar of God. Nor can arguing help them fight the duality created by the modes. One has to transcend the modes.
Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna:
“O Lord! By what attributes is the one who transcends the three modes characterized? What is his lifestyle? How does he transcend the three modes?” (XIV; 21)
The Lord responds:
“O Arjuna! He who is not averse to the light of knowledge, action, and infatuation when they arise, nor hankers after them when they fall.” (XIV; 22)
“He who remains apart like a witness, unruffled by the modes, aware that it is the modes that are the catalyst, remains firmly anchored and does not flinch.” (XIV; 23)
Lord Krishna explains:
“He who is anchored in the Self, who is even-minded in sorrow and happiness, who regards a clod, a stone, or gold equally, who looks upon the loved and unloved ones with balance, who is resolute, who takes praise and rebuke in the same stride.” (XIV; 24)
When our eyes see through the prism of the Spirit, then:
- Who is a friend or foe?
- Who is the beloved?
- What value does a clod, a stone, or gold have?
- Who can praise or rebuke us?
- Who feels honor or dishonor?
- Who is the doer?
- Who feels pleasure or pain?
But we cannot pretend to be on an even keel—else it would be self-deception instead of true equanimity of mind.
“He who takes honor and dishonor in the same stride, and views friends and enemies evenly, renouncing all deliberations, he transcends the modes.” (XIV; 25)
The three modes of nature create an illusion in three dimensions. They push us deeper into the Maya of cause and effect. Unless we renounce all desires, we cannot break through the Maya.
This does not mean we give up material things. But as we get dyed in the color of Divine love, all other colors fade away.
Lord Krishna concludes:
“He who serves Me with ardent devotion, transcending the three modes, he too is worthy of union with Brahman. For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal and indestructible, also of Dharma and eternal bliss.” (XIV; 26-27)