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Verse 14.10

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत | रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ||१०||

Transliteration (IAST)

rajas tamaś cābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata | rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaś caiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā ||10||

Word-by-Word Meanings

rajaḥ-passion

tamaḥ-darkness

abhibhūya-overpowering

sattvam-goodness

bhavati-becomes predominant

bhārata-O Bharata

Translation

Sometimes Sattva prevails, overpowering Rajas and Tamas; sometimes Rajas prevails, overpowering Sattva and Tamas; and sometimes Tamas prevails, overpowering Sattva and Rajas, O Bharata.

Commentary

Shankaracharya explains that the three gunas are always present simultaneously but in varying proportions. At any given moment, one guna predominates while the others are suppressed. This dynamic interplay creates the ever-changing states of mind and behavior observed in all beings. Ramanuja notes this explains the inconsistency of human character.

Themes

jnanayoga