रजस् तमश् च सत्त्वं च त्रय एते स्वयोनिजाः समाः सर्वेषु भूतेषु तान् गुणान् उपलक्षयेत्
Rajas, tamas, and sattva—these three are born from their own source. They are equal in all beings; one should discern these qualities.
तत्र यत् प्रीतिसंयुक्तं किंचिद् आत्मनि लक्षयेत् प्रशान्तम् इव संयुक्तं सत्त्वं तद् उपधारयेत्
Whatever is perceived in oneself that is joined with delight and appears peaceful and harmonious, know that to be sattva.
यत् तु संतापसंयुक्तं काये मनसि वा भवेत् प्रवृत्तं रज इत्य् एवं तत्र चाप्य् उपलक्षयेत्
Whatever is joined with agitation, whether in the body or in the mind, and is active—know that as rajas in that context.
यत् तु संमोहसंयुक्तम् अव्यक्तं विषमं भवेत् अप्रतर्क्यम् अविज्ञेयं तमस् तद् उपधारयेत्
Whatever is joined with delusion, is indistinct, uneven, inconceivable, and unknowable—know that as tamas.
प्रहर्षः प्रीतिर् आनन्दं स्वाम्यं स्वस्थात्मचित्तता अकस्माद् यदि वा कस्माद् वदन्ति सात्त्विकान् गुणान्
Exhilaration, joy, bliss, mastery, and a mind established in its own self—whether arising suddenly or from some cause—these are said to be sattvic qualities.
अभिमानो मृषावादो लोभो मोहस् तथाक्षमा लिङ्गानि रजसस् तानि वर्तन्ते हेतुतत्त्वतः
Pride, falsehood, greed, delusion, and impatience—these are the marks of rajas, and they arise due to specific causes.
तथा मोहः प्रमादश् च तन्द्री निद्राप्रबोधिता कथंचिद् अभिवर्तन्ते विज्ञेयास् तामसा गुणाः
Likewise, delusion, heedlessness, drowsiness, and sleep-induced awakening arise in some way; these are to be understood as qualities of darkness.
मनः प्रसृजते भावं बुद्धिर् अध्यवसायिनी हृदयं प्रियम् एवेह त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना
The mind produces intention, the intellect is decisive, and the heart here is always attached to what is dear—these three are the instigators of action.
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्य् अर्था अर्थेभ्यश् च परं मनः मनसस् तु परा बुद्धिर् बुद्धेर् आत्मा परः स्मृतः
Objects are indeed superior to the senses; the mind is superior to objects; intellect is superior to the mind; and the self is said to be superior to the intellect.
बुद्धिर् आत्मा मनुष्यस्य बुद्धिर् एवात्मनायिका यदा विकुरुते भावं तदा भवति सा मनः
The intellect is the self of a person; the intellect alone is the guide of the self. When it transforms into intention, then it becomes the mind.
इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावाद् बुद्धिर् विकुरुते ह्य् अनु शृण्वती भवति श्रोत्रं स्पृशती स्पर्श उच्यते
Because of the distinct functions of the senses, the intellect transforms accordingly: hearing becomes the ear, touching is called the sense of touch.
पश्यन्ती च भवेद् दृष्टी रसन्ती रसना भवेत् जिघ्रन्ती भवति घ्राणं बुद्धिर् विकुरुते पृथक्
Seeing becomes sight, tasting becomes the tongue, smelling becomes the nose; the intellect transforms separately for each.
इन्द्रियाणि तु तान्य् आहुस् तेषां वृत्त्या वितिष्ठति तिष्ठति पुरुषे बुद्धिर् बुद्धिभावव्यवस्थिता
These are called the senses; by their functions they are established. In a person, the intellect remains, established in the state of intellect.
कदाचिल् लभते प्रीतिं कदाचिद् अपि शोचति न सुखेन च दुःखेन कदाचिद् इह मुह्यते
Sometimes it experiences pleasure, sometimes it grieves; at times, through happiness or sorrow, it becomes confused here.
स्वयं भावात्मिका भावांस् त्रीन् एतान् अतिवर्तते सरितां सागरो भर्ता महावेलाम् इवोर्मिमान्
Being of the nature of intention itself, it surpasses these three states, as the ocean, lord of rivers, surpasses the great waves.
यदा प्रार्थयते किंचित् तदा भवति सा मनः अधिष्ठाने च वै बुद्ध्या पृथग् एतानि संस्मरेत्
When it desires something, then it becomes the mind; and by the support of intellect, it recalls these separately.
इन्द्रियाणि च मेध्यानि विचेतव्यानि कृत्स्नशः सर्वाण्य् एवानुपूर्वेण यद् यदा च विधीयते
The senses, being pure, are to be examined thoroughly, all of them in order, as each is prescribed.
अविभागमना बुद्धिर् भावो मनसि वर्तते प्रवर्तमानस् तु रजः सत्त्वम् अप्य् अतिवर्तते
When the intellect is undivided with the mind, intention operates within the mind; and when activity arises, passion even surpasses goodness.
ये वै भावेन वर्तन्ते सर्वेष्व् एतेषु ते त्रिषु अन्व् अर्थान् संप्रवर्तन्ते रथनेमिम् अरा इव
Those who act with intention in all these three (qualities), proceed toward objects just as the spokes move toward the rim of a wheel.
प्रदीपार्थं मनः कुर्याद् इन्द्रियैर् बुद्धिसत्तमैः निश्चरद्भिर् यथायोगम् उदासीनैर् यदृच्छया
One should make the mind like a lamp, with the senses and the best of intellect, moving as appropriate, indifferent, and as chance allows.
एवंस्वभावम् एवेदम् इति बुद्ध्वा न मुह्यति अशोचन् संप्रहृष्यंश् च नित्यं विगतमत्सरः
Knowing that this is its very nature, one is not deluded, neither grieving nor exulting, always free from envy.
न ह्य् आत्मा शक्यते द्रष्टुम् इन्द्रियैः कामगोचरैः प्रवर्तमानैर् अनेकैर् दुर्धरैर् अकृतात्मभिः
For the self cannot be seen by the senses, which are subject to desire, acting in many ways, difficult to restrain, by those whose selves are untrained.
तेषां तु मनसा रश्मीन् यदा सम्यङ् नियच्छति तदा प्रकाशते श्यात्मा दीपदीप्ता यथाकृतिः
But when one properly restrains the rays of the mind among them, then the self shines forth, manifest like the light of a lamp.
सर्वेषाम् एव भूतानां तमस्य् उपगते यथा प्रकाशं भवते सर्वं तथैवम् उपधार्यताम्
Just as, when darkness comes upon all beings, light appears for all, so let this be understood in the same way.
यथा वारिचरः पक्षी न लिप्यति जले चरन् विमुक्तात्मा तथा योगी गुणदोषैर् न लिप्यते
Just as a bird that moves in water is not tainted while walking in it, so too the yogi, whose soul is liberated, is not tainted by the qualities and faults.
एवम् एव कृतप्रज्ञो न दोषैर् विषयांश् चरन् असज्जमानः सर्वेषु न कथंचित् प्रलिप्यते
In the same way, one who is established in wisdom, moving among objects without attachment, is not tainted by faults in any way.
त्यक्त्वा पूर्वकृतं कर्म रतिर् यस्य सदात्मनि सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्य गुणसङ्गेन सज्जतः
Having abandoned previously performed actions, one whose delight is always in the Self, who has become the Self of all beings, becomes attached through association with qualities.
स्वयम् आत्मा प्रसवति गुणेष्व् अपि कदाचन न गुणा विदुर् आत्मानं गुणान् वेद स सर्वदा
The Self itself produces qualities at times, yet the qualities do not know the Self; but the Self always knows the qualities.
परिदध्याद् गुणानां स द्रष्टा चैव यथातथम् सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोर् एवम् अन्तरं लक्षयेन् नरः
He should contemplate the qualities and be their observer as they truly are; thus a person should discern the distinction between sattva and the knower of the field.
सृजते तु गुणान् एक एको न सृजते गुणान् पृथग्भूतौ प्रकृत्यैतौ संप्रयुक्तौ च सर्वदा
Indeed, only one produces the qualities; the other does not produce qualities. These two, distinct in nature, are always united and joined together.