Satva Rajas and Tamas
Skandha XI. Chap. 25
“Sama or Control of the mind, Dama or Control of the Senses, forbearance, discrimination, tapas, truthfulness, compassion, memory, renunciation, contentment, faith, shame and charitableness are the attributes proper of Satva. Selfish desire, Selfish exertion, pride, discontent, variety, selfish-invocation of the Devas, idea of separateness, material enjoyment, love of excitement, love of fame, derision, power and violence, are the attributes proper of Rajas.
“Anger, greed, untruthfulness, cruelty, begging, parading of religion, languor, quarrel, repentance, delusion, grief, dejection, sleep, helplessness, fear and indolence are the attributes proper of Tamas.
“The sense of I-ness and My-ness is produced by the mixture of the three Gunas (I have Sama, selfish desire and anger. My Sama, selfish desire and anger. Thus I and My are common to all the three Gunas. Śridhara) All our dealings having the elements of Manas (Sâtvic), the Tanmâtras (Tâmasic), the Indriyas and the Prânas (Râjasic) in them, proceed from a mixture of the three Gunas. Devotion to Dharma (Sâtvic), Kâma (Râjasic) and Artha (Tâmasic), that bears the fruits of faith (Sâtvic), attachment (Râjasic) and wealth (Tâmasic) is also based on a mixture of the Gunas.
“The performance of religion for the gratification of desires (Kâmya Dharma which is Râjasic), the performance of the duties of married life (Grihasta Dharma which is Tâmasic) and the performance of the daily and occasional duties assigned to one’s position in life (Svadharma which is Sâtvic) are based on a union of the three Gunas. Man is Sâtvic, when he has got the Sâtvic attributes. He is Râjasic when he has got the Râjasic attributes. He is Tâmasic when he has got the Tâmasic attributes.
“When a man or woman worships Me with unselfish devotion and by the performance of duties, he or she is Sâtvic.
“The person who worships Me, for the attainment of desires is Râjasic.
“The person who worships Me with a view to do injury to others is Tâmasic.
“Satva, Rajas and Tamas are attributes that grow in the minds of jivas, they are not My attributes.
“When Satva prevails over the other two Gunas, man acquires religiousness, wisdom, and other attributes, as also happiness. When Rajas prevails, it causes distraction, attachment and a sense of separateness. Man acquires karma, fame and wealth. But he becomes miserable.
“When Tamas prevails, delusion, inaction and ignorance follow.
“When the Mind attains calm, the senses become abstemious, the body free from fear and the mind free from attachments, Satva grows up and makes it easy to perceive Me.
“When the mind becomes distracted by actions, and desires multiply, when the senses of action become disordered and the mind always wanders away, Rajas has its hold over man.
“When the mind can not grasp, when it languishes, when even desires do not crop up, and there is indolence, melancholy and ignorance, they all proceed from Tamas.
“With Satva, the Deva element prevails, with Rajas, the Asura element prevails and with Tamas, the Râkshas element prevails.
“The waking is from Satva, dream from Rajas and deep sleep from Tamas.
“By Satva, people go higher and higher up, by Rajas they move about in the middle, and by Tamas they move lower down.
“Satva takes one to Svarga Loka, Rajas to human Loka and Tamas to Naraka. Those who are void of Gunas attain Me.
“Action that is offered up to Me or that is unselfish is Sâtvic. Selfish action is Rajasa. Heartless action is Tamasa.
“Sâtvic wisdom is that which relates to Âtmâ, as separate from the body.
“Râjasic is half perceived wisdom. Tâmasic is wisdom relating to the material universe.
“Wisdom centred in Me is Nirguna or without Gunas.
“Sâtvics like to reside in the forest. Râjasics in human habitations and Tâmasics in gambling houses. Houses where I am worshipped are beyond all the Gunas. Births are caused by Guna and Karma. Those who conquer these become devoted to Me and attain my state.”