The Gunas
Skandha XI. Chap. 13
Satva, Rajas and Tamas — they are the Gunas of Buddhi (Prakriti), not of Âtmâ — control Rajas and Tamas by means of Satva and control Satva by Satva itself. When Satva grows in Man, he acquires Dharma, which is Devotion to Me. By worshipping Sâtvic objects Satva increases and Dharma is the outcome. That Dharma kills Rajas and Tamas and it increases Satva. When Rajas and Tamas are killed, Adharma which is an outcome of Rajas and Tamas is also killed. The scriptures, water, men, land, time, karma, regeneration, meditation, mantra and purification these ten are accessaries to the Gunas. Of these what the Sages praise are Sâtvic, what they blame are Tâmasic, what they neither praise nor blame are Râjasic. Have resort to only those of them that are Sâtvic, for then Satva will increase. Dharma follows that increase and wisdom follows Dharma. But wisdom has its field only so long as memory lasts and the (Gunas) are not exhausted. Fire that is produced by the friction of bamboo pieces, burns up the forest and is then extinguished of itself even so the body caused by disturbance of the Gunas is extinguished of itself, (at that final stage).
(Of the scriptures, there are some that speak of inclination, others that speak of disinclination. The latter only are to be followed. Water which has a purifying effect, as that of a sacred place is to be used, not pointed water and wine. Bad men are to be shunned and good men are to be mixed with. Quiet solitary places are to be sought, not highways and gambling places. The time before sun rise is preferable for meditation not night fall or night. Nitya Karma is to be performed, not Kâmya Karma. Initiation causes a second birth. Vaishnava or Saiva initiation is Sâtvic and not Sakta initiation. Meditation upon Vishnu is Sâtvic and not the meditation upon women or upon those that are hostile to Vishnu. The Pranava Mantra is Sâtvic and not the lower Kâmya Mantras. The cleansing must be purification of self, not the mere cleansing of Deva houses. Śridhara. By these Sâtvic pursuits, Satva Guna prevails in man. When Satva prevails the whole nature becomes Sâtvic. The tendencies are all such as to lead to calmness, which is the essence of Satva. This is Dharma Adharma is the opposite of this. It is identified with such a nature as leads to distractions. Dharma is followed by wisdom. For when the mind is calm and tranquil, truths are reflected on it in their entirety and they are fully perceived. That wisdom lasts as long as memory lasts i.e. as long as Dvaita perception exists. But when the Gunas themselves die out, wisdom vanishes of itself, for when there is direct perception of Brahmâ as self, the knower, the known and knowledge become one and the same.)