Goals of Life: The Three Gunas
Life Attributes 1. Artha 2. Kama 3. Dharma 4. Moksha Three Gunas
THREE GUNAS — MODES
All the variety of species of life created be,
By combination of three basic material energy;
- 45 —
These Guna modus operandi of material energy,
They are called tamo, rajo and sattva clearly;
- 46 —
Tamo-guna associated with inertia, ignorance be,
The rajo-guna associated with passion, activity;
- 47 —
Sattva-guna associated with goodness, harmony,
And all three of them associated with thinking truly.
- 48 —
The term ‘guṇa’ in the hoary sacred text does be,
As in the Mahabharat and Bhagawat Puran clearly.
- 49 —
Term for the five elements, mahabhutas, surely,
Also five senses, five associated parts of body.
- 50 —
Akasha or space, associated with sound and ear be,
Vayu or air, associated with feeling and skin does be.
- 51 —
Tejas, Agni or fire, linked with appearance and eye be.
Apas, Jala or water, associated with taste and tongue be.
- 52 —
Prithivi or earth, associated with all preceding guṇas be,
As well as ‘guṇa gandha’ or smell and with the nose be.
- 53 -
1. Three Qualities
All worldly qualities have been identified clearly,
As three basic gunas — tamas, rajas, sattva surely.
- 54 —
Tamas darkness, Rajas passion, Sattva goodness be,
Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas together called three qualities.
- 55 —
Tamas quality is controlled by the Maha-devi Kali,
Rajas by Laxshmi Devi, sattva by Saraswati Devi.
- 56 —
‘Tamas’ guna is inertia, ‘rajas’ but activity does be,
‘Sattva’ guna transcendence most certainly truly.
- 57 —
Without all these three there is no physical entity,
Not a single atom is free of these dimensions truly.
- 58 —
They of certain static nature, vibrancy and energy,
Without them nothing is together — breaks surely.
- 59 —
You will be asleep all the time if its ‘tamas’ only,
Just rajas — only relax; just sattva — you gone be.
- 60 —
So all three qualities present in everything but be,
It is just to what extent you mix these things finally.
- 61 —
The nine days of Navaratri — prayer for the Devi,
Classified they as to three basic qualities do be.
- 62 —
We have the ability to alter guna levels willfully,
Controlling them bringing awareness consciously.
- 63 —
Tamas is just a state of inertia of but inactivity,
The state of gratification of the five senses only.
- 64 —
Tamas symbolized by darkness, ignorance be,
Distracting humans from spiritual growth clearly.
- 65 —
To reduce tamas avoid ‘tamsik’ foods readily,
As onions, garlic, — with natural steroids plainly.
- 66 —
Meats, food: stale, processed, treated chemically,
Excess emotion, sleep, eating, inactivity, passivity.
- 67 —
Rajas is a state of the energy, change and activity,
Binding to efforts ensuing longing, attachment truly.
- 68 —
To cut rajas avoid rajasik food stimulant, fried, spicy,
Extreme — exercise, work, music, thinking, desire truly.
- 69 —
Sattva state of intelligence, balance, contentment be,
Reduces rajas, tamas — so enlightenment possible be.
- 70 —
Sattvic food, action begets positive thinking, bliss truly,
Yogic practices create ‘sattva’ in the mind and body.
- 71 —
Sattvic foods whole grains, pulses, lentils be surely,
Fresh fruits, vegetables that grow above ground only.
- 72 —
Practice of yoga, controlling desire and wants truly,
With a yogic lifestyle will lead to ‘sattva’ undoubtedly.
- 73 -
2. In Bhagwat Gita
Triguna appears in discourse of Krishna prominently,
To Arjuna upon the battlefield of Kurukshetra clearly;
- 74 —
That the backdrop for the Bhagwat Gita surely be,
All three gunas so held to delude the World clearly:
- 75 —
त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्॥ ७.१३॥
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairebhiḥ sarvamidaṁ jagat |
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ paramavyayam || 7.13||
World deluded by Three Gunas does not know Me:
Who beyond these Gunas, imperishable does be.
(7.13)
- 76 -
The unique work of Munindra (Munnan) Misra in English rhyme on Hinduism and Hindu culture, provide the global English reader, an understanding of the Sanatan Dharma (Hindu culture).
Quotes eBook 1. Comparative Prices World wide Live! 2. All Published Books of Munindra Misra a) Comparative Prices of All Books
Available : 1. Amazon 2. On Flipkart
