बुद्धिस्थास्ते गुणाः कामान्बोधयन्ति परस्परम् । देवदत्तविष्णुमित्रयज्ञदत्तादयो यथा
These qualities, established in the intellect, awaken desires and influence each other, just as Devadatta, Vishnumitra, Yajnadatta, and others do.
यथा स्त्रीपुरुषश्चैव मिथुनौ च परस्परम् । तथा गुणाः समायान्ति युग्मभावं परस्परम्
Just as woman and man form a pair together, so too the qualities unite, entering into a dual state with each other.
रजसो मिथुने सत्त्वं सत्त्वस्य मिथुने रजः । उभे ते सत्त्वरजसी तमसो मिथुने विदुः
In the pairing of rajas, sattva is present; in the pairing of sattva, rajas is present; both sattva and rajas are known to be present in the pairing of tamas.
नारद उवाच इत्येतत्कथितं पित्रा गुणरूपमनुत्तमम् । श्रुत्वाप्येतत्स एवाहं ततोऽपृच्छं पितामहम्
Narada said: Thus, this supreme nature of the qualities was described by my father; even after hearing this, I asked the grandsire again.
गुणानां गुणपरिज्ञानवर्णनम् नारद उवाच गुणानां लक्षणं तात भवता कथितं किल । न तृप्तोऽस्मि पिबन्मिष्टं त्वन्मुखात्प्रच्युतं रसम्
Narada said: Father, you have indeed described the characteristics of the qualities; yet I am not satisfied, for I drink the nectar flowing from your mouth.
गुणानां तु परिज्ञानं यथावदनुवर्णय । येनाहं परमां शान्तिमधिगच्छामि चेतसि
Please describe in detail the discernment of the qualities, by which I may attain supreme peace in my mind.
व्यास उवाच इति पृष्टस्तु पुत्रेण नारदेन महात्मना । उवाच च जगत्कर्ता रजोगुणसमुद्भवः
Vyasa said: Thus questioned by his son Narada, the great soul, the creator of the world, born of the quality of rajas, spoke.
ब्रह्मोवाच शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि गुणानां परिवर्णनम् । सम्यङ् नाहं विजानामि यथामति वदामि ते
Brahma said: Listen, Narada, I will explain the description of the qualities; I do not fully know, but I will tell you as best as I understand.
सत्त्वं तु केवलं नैव कुत्रापि परिलक्ष्यते । मिश्रीभावात्तु तेषां वै मिश्रत्वं प्रतिभाति वै
Sattva alone is never observed anywhere; because of their mixed nature, only their mixture is perceived.
यथा काचिद्वरा नारी सर्वभूषणभूषिता । हावभावयुता कामं भर्तुः प्रीतिकरी भवेत्
Just as a noble woman, adorned with all ornaments, full of charm and feeling, may become pleasing to her husband.
मातापित्रोस्तथा सैव बन्धुवर्गस्य प्रीतिदा । दुःखं मोहं सपत्नीषु जनयत्यपि सैव हि
She alone brings joy to her mother, father, and family circle; yet she also causes sorrow and delusion among co-wives.
एवं सत्त्वेन तेनैव स्त्रीत्वमापादितेन च । रजसस्तमसश्चैव जनिता वृत्तिरन्यथा
Thus, by that very essence and by the attainment of womanhood, a different disposition arises, generated from rajas and tamas.
रजसा स्त्रीकृतेनैव तमसा च तथा पुनः । अन्योन्यस्य समायोगादन्यथा प्रतिभाति वै
Indeed, through rajas manifesting as woman and likewise through tamas, when these two combine, a different nature appears.
अवस्थानात्स्वभावेषु न वै जात्यन्तराणि च । लक्ष्यते विपरीतानि योगान्नारद कुत्रचित्
Due to the states of their own natures, Narada, there are no other castes observed; only through contrary combinations do differences sometimes appear.
यथा रूपवती नारी यौवनेन विभूषिता । लज्जामाधुर्ययुक्ता च तथा विनयसंयुता
Just as a woman endowed with beauty, adorned with youth, possessing modesty and sweetness, and joined with humility—
कामशास्त्रविधिज्ञा च धर्मशास्त्रेऽपि सम्मता । भर्तुःप्रीतिकरी भूत्वा सपत्नीनां च दुःखदा
—who knows the arts of love and is approved in the scriptures of righteousness, brings delight to her husband and causes sorrow to her co-wives—
मोहदुःखस्वभावस्था सत्त्वस्थेत्युच्यते जनैः । तथा सत्त्वं विकुर्वाणमन्यभावं विभाति वै
One whose nature is rooted in delusion and sorrow is said by people to be situated in sattva; yet when sattva is transformed, it appears as something else.
चोरैरुपद्रुतानां हि साधूनां सुखदा भवेत् । दुःखा मूढा च दस्यूनां सैव सेना तथागुणा
To the virtuous afflicted by thieves, that same army brings happiness; but to the wicked and the robbers, it brings misery and confusion, being of such a nature.
विपरीतप्रतीतिं वै वर्जयन्ति स्वभावतः । यथा च दुर्दिनं जातं महामेघघनावृतम्
By their very nature, they avoid contrary perceptions, just as when a bad day arises, covered by dense, great clouds.
विद्युत्स्तनितसंयुक्तं तिमिरेणावगुण्ठितम् । सिंचद्भूमिं प्रवर्षद्वै तमोरूपमुदाहृतम्
Accompanied by lightning and thunder, veiled in darkness, and pouring rain upon the earth—this is said to be the form of tamas.
यदेतत्कर्षकाणां वै तदेवातीव दुर्दिनम् । बीजोपस्करयुक्तानां सुखदं प्रभवत्युत
What is a most inauspicious day for farmers becomes, indeed, a source of happiness for those equipped with seeds and implements.
अप्रच्छन्नगृहाणां च दुर्भगानां विशेषतः । तृणकाष्ठगृहीतानां दुःखदं गृहमेधिनाम्
Especially for those whose houses are not well-covered, for the unfortunate, and for those who dwell in huts of grass and wood, it brings sorrow to householders.
प्रोषितभर्तृकाणां वै मोहदं प्रवदन्त्यपि । स्वभावस्था गुणाः सर्वे विपरीता विभान्ति वै
It is said to bring delusion to women whose husbands are away; all qualities, when situated in their own nature, appear as their opposites.
लक्षणानि पुनस्तेषां शृणु पुत्र ब्रवीम्यहम् । लघुप्रकाशकं सत्त्वं निर्मलं विशदं सदा
Now hear, my son, the characteristics of these; I will tell you: sattva is always light, illuminating, pure, and clear.
यदाङ्गानि लघून्येव नेत्रादीनीन्द्रियाणि च । निर्मलं च तथा चेतो गृह्णाति विषयान्न तान्
When the limbs and the senses such as the eyes are light, and likewise the mind is pure and does not grasp the objects, then—
तदा सत्त्वं शरीरे वै मन्तव्यञ्च समुत्कटम् । जृम्भां स्तम्भं च तन्द्रां च चलञ्चैव रजः पुनः
—then, sattva should be understood as predominant in the body; but yawning, stiffness, drowsiness, and restlessness are again rajas.
यदा तदुत्कटं जातं देहे यस्य च कस्यचित् । कलिं मृगयते कर्तुं गन्तुं ग्रामान्तरं तथा
When that rajas becomes predominant in anyone's body, he seeks quarrels, desires to act, and wishes to go to another village.
चलचित्तस्य सोऽत्यर्थं विवादे चोद्यतस्तथा । गुरुमावरणं कामं तमो भवति तद्यदा
Such a restless-minded person is excessively eager for dispute; and when there is obstruction of the teacher, desire, then that is tamas.
तदाङ्गानि गुरूण्याशु प्रभवन्त्यावृतानि च । इन्द्रियाणि मनः शून्यं निद्रां नैवाभिवाञ्छति
Then, the limbs become heavy and powerless, the senses and mind are empty, and sleep is not desired.
गुणानां लक्षणान्येवं विज्ञेयानीह नारद । नारद उवाच विभिन्नलक्षणाः प्रोक्ताः पितामह गुणास्त्रयः
Thus, O Nārada, the characteristics of the guṇas are to be understood here. Nārada said: The three guṇas, O Grandsire, have been described as having distinct characteristics.