Verse-9
Chapter 14 — Gunatreyavibhag Yoga
Verse 9
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
sattvam sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaņi bhārata
jñānamāvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayatyuta
🕉 English Translation
Satoguna lagata hai sukh mein sadaa,
Rajoguna toh karmo mein detaa lagaa.
Tamoguna magar jnana har leta hai,
Lagtaa hai pramad mein sah ko yeh.
📜 Translation
English
O Arjun! Satvaguna attaches one to happiness, rajoguna to activity and tamoguna by veiling knowledge leads one to indolence.
Satvaguna is good; to have inclination towards it is without doubt beneficial. The interest and liking for attending religious congregation, remembrance of the Lord and service grows by satoguna only. In comparison to worldly activities in this one gets distinct and special, pure happiness. This happiness is also good; but on getting motivated by it one should progress further. This happiness acquired through satoguna can become the basis for attaining the state of the transcendence of the three qualities; but the embodied being gets restricted to this happiness only. Satoguna gives happiness undoubtedly but keeps the embodied being involved in it.To keep one going on obsessively in activities is the quality of rajoguna. If the occasion of attending religious congregation or worship or of service or undertaking pilgrimage etc. arise-any activity which will take one towards self-evolution; rajoguna will not allow one to engage in it-
It will keep one entangled in activities. If the occasion arises for attending religious congregation, or singing of divine glories and reading the scriptures, then it will cause such thoughts to arise-what should I do-I do, not get time, I have so many responsibilities, so many duties to perform....!
The state of tamoguna is extremely strange. Neither is there any interest in those activities which are for self-elevation like attending religious gathering etc. nor does it allow awareness regarding one's worldly, familial, social responsibilities! To be always enveloped by indolence and even if any activity is to be performed it would be of a perverted and prohibited and improper nature.
How and in what manner do the three attributes exert their influence? One more aspect of the story of the attributes-