Shloka 19
तमोगुण-निरूपण
Analysis of Tamas and its Marks
वृथारम्भा हि ये केचिद् वृथा दानानि यानि च । वृथा भक्षणमित्येतत् तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते
vṛthārambhā hi ye kecid vṛthā dānāni yāni ca | vṛthā bhakṣaṇam ity etat tāmasaṁ vṛttam iṣyate ||
Vāyu dit : «Toute entreprise commencée en vain, tout don fait en vain, et toute nourriture prise en vain : une telle conduite est tenue pour tāmasa.» Sur le plan éthique, il s’agit d’actes accomplis sans règle ni révérence : donner sans considérer le temps, le lieu et le bénéficiaire, ou manger sans avoir d’abord honoré le divin et les hôtes. Faute d’intention lucide et d’orientation vers le dharma, ils sont comptés comme tamasiques.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions become tamasic when they are done ‘in vain’—without proper purpose, rule (vidhi), and reverence (śraddhā). Beginning projects heedlessly, giving charity without considering time/place/recipient, and eating without honoring the divine and guests are cited as examples of such deluded conduct.
Vāyudeva is instructing the listener on ethical classification of behavior by the guṇas, identifying certain careless forms of action, charity, and eating as tamasic because they disregard dharmic propriety and mindful intention.