सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च |
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च || 17||
sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva cha
pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha
sattvāt—from the mode of goodness; sañjāyate—arises; jñānam—knowledge; rajasaḥ—from the mode of passion; lobhaḥ—greed; eva—indeed; cha—and; pramāda—negligence; mohau—delusion; tamasaḥ—from the mode of ignorance; bhavataḥ—arise; ajñānam—ignorance; eva—indeed; cha—and
Translation:
From sattva springs knowledge, and from rajas, greed; from tamas spring inadvertence, delusion, and ignorance.
Commentary:
The Lord is an expert in methods of instruction. He wants to impress on the mind of the disciple, the effects of the three Gunas. And for this purpose he repeats the same ideas in different ways. A good teacher, when he is instructing children, follow the same method. When these ideas are fundamental truths, they should be repeated and re-asserted, so that they sink into the mind of the hearers. So Lord Krishna is re-declaring the same law again and again for the better understanding of his beloved disciples.
Ajnanam eva ca: Ignorance itself arises from Tamas And Ajnana verily is the cause of bondage and samsara. The lovers of freedom and knowledge should wage eternal war with that demon till victory is achieved.
Question: What arises from Sattva-guna?
Answer: Knowledge.
Question: What arises from Rajo-guna?
Answer: Greed.
Question: What arises from Tamo-guna?
Answer: Heedlessness, forgetfulness, delusion and ignorance itself arise from Tamas.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 14 🔻 (27 Verses)
