14. The Three Qualities of Nature

Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog

BG 14.8

Ignorance, born of false knowledge and delusion, establishes itself with negligence, laziness, and sleep.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत

  • tamas — nature of ignorance

  • tv — but

  • ajñāna-jaṁ — born of ignorance

    • ajñāna

    • jaṁ

  • viddhi — know

  • mohanaṁ — illusion

  • sarva-dehinām — for all the embodied souls

    • sarva

    • dehinām

  • pramādālasya-nidrābhis — negligence, laziness, and sleep

    • pramādālasya

    • nidrābhis

  • tan — that

  • nibadhnāti — binds

  • bhārata — Arjuna

...14.5

Of these, purity is luminous and full of well-being. It establishes itself through attachment to happiness and to knowledge.

[6]

Passion, engendered by thirst for pleasure and attachment, establishes itself with attachment to action.

[7]

Ignorance, born of false knowledge and delusion, establishes itself with negligence, laziness, and sleep.

[8]

Purity generates attachment to happiness, passion generates attachment to action, and ignorance generates attachment to negligence.

[9]

Purity prevails when passion and ignorance are overcome. Passion reigns when purity and ignorance are overwhelmed, and ignorance arises when purity and passion are overpowered.

[10]

14.11...
Chapter 14, Verse 8