Shloka 7
तमोगुण-निरूपण
Analysis of Tamas and its Marks
नियम्यते तमो यत्र रजत्तत्र प्रवर्तते । नियम्यते रजो यत्र सत्त्वं तत्र प्रवर्तते,जहाँ तमोगुणको रोका जाता है, वहाँ रजोगुण बढ़ता है और जहाँ रजोगुणको दबाया जाता है, वहाँ सत्त्वगुणकी वृद्धि होती है
niyamyate tamo yatra rajas tatra pravartate | niyamyate rajo yatra sattvaṃ tatra pravartate ||
Vāyu said: Where the darkness of inertia (tamas) is restrained, the force of activity (rajas) begins to operate. And where restless activity (rajas) is checked, clarity and balance (sattva) comes forward. The teaching points to ethical self-cultivation: progress is made by consciously regulating the lower tendencies so that a higher quality of mind can arise.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
By regulating a lower guṇa, a higher one becomes prominent: restraining tamas allows rajas to function, and restraining rajas allows sattva to manifest. Ethical refinement is presented as a stepwise discipline of control and redirection.
Vāyudeva is instructing the listener about the dynamics of the three guṇas—how mental qualities shift when one is checked—framing a practical guideline for inner governance and moral improvement.