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Shloka 33

Adhyāya 314 — हिमवदाश्रमः, शक्तिक्षेपकथा, तथा स्वाध्यायविधिः

Himalayan Hermitage, the Myth of the Thrown Spear, and Rules of Vedic Study

तामसस्याधरमं स्थान प्राहुरध्यात्मचिन्तका: । अध्यात्म-शास्त्रका चिन्तन करनेवाले विद्वान्‌ कहते हैं कि सात््विक पुरुषको उत्तम, रजोगुणीको मध्यम और तमोगुणीको अधम स्थानकी प्राप्ति होती है

tāmasasyādharamaṃ sthānaṃ prāhur adhyātma-cintakāḥ | adhyātma-śāstraka-cintana-karanevāle vidvān vadanti yat sāttvikaḥ puruṣaḥ uttamaṃ, rajoguṇī madhyamaṃ, tamoguṇī ca adhamaṃ sthānaṃ prāpnoti |

अध्यात्मचिंतन करणारे विद्वान म्हणतात—सत्त्वप्रधान पुरुषाला उत्तम पद, रजःप्रधानाला मध्यम पद, आणि तमःप्रधानाला अधम पद प्राप्त होते.

तामसस्यof the tamasic (one/quality)
तामसस्य:
Sambandha
TypeAdjective
Rootतामस
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
अधरमम्lower, inferior
अधरमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअधर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
स्थानम्place, state, station
स्थानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्राहुःthey have said / they declare
प्राहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अह्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
अध्यात्मचिन्तकाःthinkers on the self/spirituality
अध्यात्मचिन्तकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअध्यात्मचिन्तक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

याज़्वल्क्य उवाच

Y
Yājñavalkya
A
adhyātma-cintakāḥ (spiritual contemplatives)

Educational Q&A

One’s predominant guna shapes one’s spiritual and moral trajectory: sattva leads upward to the best state, rajas to an intermediate state, and tamas to the lowest. The teaching emphasizes inner cultivation—clarity and self-mastery—over external status.

In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Yājñavalkya is presenting a doctrinal classification used by adhyātma thinkers: the three gunas correspond to graded destinations, reinforcing the broader discourse on right conduct, inner purification, and liberation-oriented living.