Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 14
Guṇa-vibhāga: The Three Modes and the Path Beyond Them
यदा जयेत्तम: सत्त्वं रज: सङ्गं भिदा चलम् । तदा दु:खेन युज्येत कर्मणा यशसा श्रिया ॥ १४ ॥
yadā jayet tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajaḥ saṅgaṁ bhidā calam tadā duḥkhena yujyeta karmaṇā yaśasā śriyā
Lorsque le mode de la passion, source d’attachement, de division et d’agitation, l’emporte sur l’ignorance et la bonté, l’homme s’épuise à acquérir prestige et prospérité. Dans rajas, il goûte l’anxiété et la lutte.
FAQs
This verse teaches that when goodness (sattva) rises and conquers ignorance (tamas), while passion (rajas)—marked by attachment and divisive restlessness—is restrained, one naturally becomes situated in a more harmonious life with constructive action, good name, and prosperity.
In the Uddhava Gītā section, Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on the workings of the three guṇas and how inner transformation affects one’s experience of life, preparing him for steady devotion and transcendence beyond material modes.
Reduce tamas (laziness, confusion) and calm rajas (overstimulation, craving) by cultivating sattva through clean habits, truthful speech, disciplined work, and devotional practices—leading to clearer judgment, better conduct, and more stable well-being.