Bagawat Geeta

Analysis of Gunas
Based on Swami Paramarthananda's Teachings

कृित (Prakriti)
Topic Sattva Rajas Tamas
Chapter 14, Verse 6 Chapter 14, Verse 7 Chapter 14, Verse 8

Prakasatmakam Ragatmakam Mohanatmakam

ल ण (Definition)
Tend to act more; clings on to Eternal conflict, delusion
Pre-disposed to acquire more
knowledge; addicted to introspect
possessions and desires for and procrastination; not
things not yet possessed sure about the needs

Chapter 14, Verses 6 & 9 Chapter 14, Verses 7 & 9 Chapter 14, Verses 8 & 9

ब न ाकार (Mode
of bondage) Causes attachment to Causes attachment to
Causes attachment to activity;
knowledge; addicted to indifference; bound to
addicted to karma (activities)
knowledge negligence

Chapter 14, Verse 11 Chapter 14, Verse 12 Chapter 14, Verse 13

िल (Sign of
predominance) Increase of activity, greed, Dullness, inaction,
Increase of knowledge
restlessness and craving negligence and delusion

Chapter 14, Verses 14 & 18 Chapter 14, Verses 15 & 18 Chapter 14, Verses 15 & 18
गित (travel after
death)
To higher lokas To middle lokas To lower lokas

Chapter 14, Verses 16 & 17 Chapter 14, Verses 16 & 17 Chapter 14, Verses 16 & 17
फलम्
(consequence in
this life
Punya & Knowledge Sorrow & greed Ignorance & delusion
 Bagawat Geeta
Analysis of Gunas
Based on Swami Paramarthananda's Teachings

कृित (Prakriti)
Topic Sattva Rajas Tamas

Chapter 17, Verse 4 Chapter 17, Verse 4 Chapter 17, Verse 4

ा (Faith) Worship of satvic deities Worship of rajasic deities Worship of tamasic deities
Mental worship Verbal and physical worship Violent worship
Spiritual motive Materialistic motive Destructive motive

Chapter 17, Verse 8 Chapter 17, Verse 9 Chapter 17, Verse 10

आहार (Food)
That which is delicious, which
gives longevity, health, strength
and happiness
That which is improperly
That which is excessively
cooked, without nutrition,
bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent
putrid, stale, left over and
and which causes pain
impure

Chapter 17, Verse 11 Chapter 17, Verse 12 Chapter 17, Verse 13

All activities done sincerely

य (Sacrifice)
according to the scriptures;
without expecting any results;
karma yoga is satvic yoga; focus
is on what one gives to the
society
All activities done for fame,
All activities done
show and money; focus is on
involuntarily; without rules,
what one gets back from the
faith, mantra or dakshina
society

Chapter 17, Verse 20 Chapter 17, Verse 21 Chapter 17, Verse 22

Given with sincerity to a

दान (Charity) deserving person at the proper
Given reluctantly for the sake
Given without respect to an
time and place without expecting undeserving person at an
of return and result
any return; Charity is the end in improper time and place
itself

Chapter 17, Verse 17 Chapter 17, Verse 18 Chapter 17, Verse 19

तपस् (Austerity)
Practiced for the sake of
Practiced with faith and without Practiced with false notions
show, name and fame;
expecting any results; any wordily and bodily torture for
Results will be temporary and
results should only be by-products harming others
uncertain
 Bagawat Geeta
Analysis of Gunas
Based on Swami Paramarthananda's Teachings

कृित (Prakriti)
Topic Sattva Rajas Tamas
Chapter 18, Verse 9 Chapter 18, Verse 8 Chapter 18, Verse 7

Renunciation of nityakarmas
स ास Renunciation of the results of Renunciation of nityakarmas
due to the ignorance of their
nityakarmas due to fear of bodily strain
(Renunciation) value

Continues to do karma yoga, but Renunciation of dhyanam

renounces the results and tapas

Chapter 18, Verse 20 Chapter 18, Verse 21 Chapter 18 Verse 22

Sees the undivided Self in and Takes the Self to be distinct

Takes the body as the self
through all the beings from every other being
ान Knowledge
I am the tenant/owner of the
I am the conscious principles Believes in only what can be
body and am immortal; there
which enlivens the body mind sensed by sense organs (I
are many immortal jivas just
complex (I am the consciousness) am the body)
as me (I am the mind)

Chapter 18, Verse 23 Chapter 18, Verse 24 Chapter 18, Verse 25

Indiscriminate action done

Duty performed without
कम (Karma)
attachment and expectations
Action done with egoism for
without considering the
the sake of results
consequences

Action done to improve my self Action done to improve my Actions done without any
knowledge surroundings planning

Chapter 18, Verse 26 Chapter 18, Verse 27 Chapter 18, Verse 28

Detached, perseverant, Attached, greedy, harmful and Undisciplined, uncultured,

enthusiastic, unassuming and subject to elation and arrogant, harmful, dull and
कता (Doer) calm in success and failure depression procrastinating

Does not get attached any Gets attached to success and

Does not have an integrated
success or failure and uses all failure and does not use the
personality
experiences for inner growth results for inner growth.
 Bagawat Geeta
Analysis of Gunas
Based on Swami Paramarthananda's Teachings

कृित (Prakriti)
Topic Sattva Rajas Tamas
Chapter 18, Verse 30 Chapter 18, Verse 31 Chapter 18, Verse 32

बु
Considers adharma as
(Intellect) Clearly knows dharma and
Has doubts regarding dharma dharma (e.g. Arjuna thought
adharma, right and wrong as well
and adharma, right and wrong the war was adharma at the
as the bondage and liberation
beginning of Bagawat Geeta)

Chapter 18, Verse 33 Chapter 18, Verse 34 Chapter 18, Verse 35

Sustains the functions of all

organs in the spiritual path; Pursues dharma, artha and Does not give up sleep, fear,
धृित (Will) controls sense organs by kama craving for their benefits grief and indulgence
unswerving practice of yoga

Leads to sensory pleasures

Leads to spiritual success Leads to material success
and attachment

Chapter 18, Verse 37 Chapter 18, Verse 38 Chapter 18, Verse 39

Like nectar in the beginning

Deludes the mind in the
Like poison in the beginning and and like poison at the end;
beginning and in the end;
like nectar in the end; Happiness happiness is born of contact
सुखम् (happiness)
happiness is born of
is born of self-knowledge between sense organs and
indolence and negligence.
objects

Not subject to loss; sadhana Subject to loss and will go Based on fatalism and does
shadhushta sambanthi away creating a vacuum not use free will
सधन सुतु स