Shloka 53
Adhyāya 314 — हिमवदाश्रमः, शक्तिक्षेपकथा, तथा स्वाध्यायविधिः
Himalayan Hermitage, the Myth of the Thrown Spear, and Rules of Vedic Study
सत्त्वस्य रजसश्वैव तमसश्न शृणुष्व मे । अब मैं सत्त्व, रज और तम--इन तीनों गुणोंके द्वन्द्र और संनिपात-का यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन करता हूँ, सुनो
sattvasya rajasaś caiva tamasaś ca śṛṇuṣva me |
Yājñavalkya sprach: „Höre mich an, während ich die wahre Natur der drei Guṇas—sattva, rajas und tamas—darlege und erkläre, wie sie einander entgegenstehen und wie sie sich zugleich in vielfältigen Mischungen verbinden.“
याज़्वल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces an analysis of the three guṇas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—emphasizing that ethical and psychological states arise from their opposition (dvandva) and their mixed combinations (sannipāta). Understanding these forces is presented as a basis for discernment and right conduct.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, the sage Yājñavalkya begins a structured exposition: he calls the listener’s attention and announces that he will describe the guṇas in their true form, preparing for a detailed teaching that follows.