Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14, Verse 10

English Translation

O scion of the Bharata dynasty, sattva increases by subduing rajas and tamas, rajas by overpowering sattva and tamas, and tamas by dominating over sattva and rajas.

Detailed Commentary

Explanation—'When Sattva prevails by overpowering Rajas and Tamas, O Bharata' (Bhagavad Gita 14.10)—Sattva Guna increases by suppressing the tendencies of Rajas Guna and Tamas Guna. Sattva Guna suppresses Rajasic tendencies like greed and restlessness, and Tamasic tendencies like inertia, thereby generating dispositions such as purity, dispassion, and magnanimity in the mind. 'When Rajas prevails by overpowering Sattva and Tamas' (Bhagavad Gita 14.10)—Rajas Guna increases by suppressing the tendencies of Sattva Guna and Tamas Guna. Rajas Guna suppresses Sattvic tendencies like knowledge and Tamasic tendencies like inertia, thereby generating dispositions such as greed and restlessness in the mind. 'Likewise, Tamas prevails by overpowering Sattva and Rajas' (Bhagavad Gita 14.10)—In the same way, Tamas Guna increases by suppressing the tendencies of Sattva Guna and Rajas Guna. Tamas Guna suppresses Sattvic tendencies like purity and Rajasic tendencies like agitation, thereby generating dispositions such as inertia and delusion in the mind. One Guna prevails by suppressing the other two. The predominant Guna conquers a person and binds them. The Lord first spoke of binding here, then of conquering, and then of one Guna increasing by suppressing the others. The implication is that great souls (Mahapurushas) who are not connected to Prakriti are unaffected by Mahasarga (great creation) and Mahapralaya (great dissolution). However, those who are connected to Prakriti are bound by the Gunas. This raises the question: what are the Gunas and how do they bind? In response, the Lord explained the nature of the Gunas and their method of binding. A further question arises: how does a Guna conquer? To this, the Lord replied that one Guna conquers by suppressing the other two. Context—Now, to describe the characteristics of a Guna when it prevails by suppressing the other two, the symptoms of increased Sattva Guna are described first.