Verse 18.39
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः | निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||३९||
Transliteration (IAST)
yad agre cānubandhe ca sukhaṁ mohanam ātmanaḥ | nidrālasya-pramādotthaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam ||39||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
That happiness which deludes the self both in the beginning and in the end, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence - that is declared to be tamasic.
Commentary
Tamasic happiness is deluding from start to finish - it never yields genuine satisfaction. Shankaracharya explains that unlike rajasic pleasure which at least provides initial enjoyment, tamasic 'happiness' is merely the dull comfort of unconsciousness and avoidance. Madhva notes that 'mohanam ātmanaḥ' (deluding the self) indicates this state actively obscures self-knowledge, making it the greatest obstacle to spiritual progress.