Shloka 22
Vimokṣa-niścaya: Pañcaśikha’s Analysis of Aggregates, Guṇas, and Tyāga (मोक्षनिर्णयः)
सत्त्वस्यथ रजसश्वैव तमसश्न निबोध तान् । प्रसादो हर्षजा प्रीतिरसंदेहो धृति: स्मृति: । एतान् सत्त्वगुणान् विद्यादिमान् राजसतामसान्,अब मैं तुम्हें सत््वगुण, रजोगुण और तमोगुणके कार्य बताता हूँ, सुनो। प्रसन्नता, हर्षजनित प्रीति, संदेहका अभाव, धैर्य और स्मृति--इन सबको सत्त्वगुणके कार्य समझो। काम, क्रोध, प्रमाद, लोभ, मोह, भय, क्लान्ति, विषाद, शोक, अप्रसन्नता, मान, दर्प और अनार्यता--इन्हें रजोगुण और तमोगुणके कार्य समझना चाहिये
sattvasya atha rajasaś caiva tamasaś ca nibodha tān | prasādo harṣajā prītir asaṃdeho dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ | etān sattvaguṇān vidyād imān rājasatāmasān |
Bhishma said: “Now understand the effects of the three qualities—sattva, rajas, and tamas. Serenity of mind, joy-born affection, freedom from doubt, steadiness, and memory—these are to be known as the workings of sattva. By contrast, impulses such as desire and anger, along with heedlessness, greed, delusion, fear, fatigue, dejection, grief, displeasure, pride, arrogance, and uncivil conduct are to be recognized as the workings of rajas and tamas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma classifies mental states and behaviors by the three guṇas: sattva produces clarity, joyful affection, certainty, steadiness, and memory; rajas and tamas manifest as desire-driven agitation and darker states like anger, negligence, greed, delusion, fear, fatigue, sorrow, pride, arrogance, and ignoble conduct.
In the Shanti Parva instruction to Yudhishthira, Bhishma continues his ethical teaching by explaining how to recognize the guṇas through their observable effects in the mind and character, guiding the king toward self-governance and righteous rule.