Shloka 773
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
रजसा तमसा चैव मानसं समभिप्लुतम् | ऐसा पुरुष जब जन्म लेता है
rajasā tamasā caiva mānasaṃ samabhiplutam |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Fikiran itu sepenuhnya ditenggelami oleh rajas dan tamas.” Dari segi etika, ini menggambarkan seseorang yang kehidupan batinnya digerakkan oleh nafsu, kegelisahan, dan kejahilan, sehingga daya pertimbangan menjadi kabur dan tingkah laku cenderung kepada tindakan lahiriah serta dorongan melulu, bukan kejernihan dan pengendalian diri.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
That when rajas (passionate agitation) and tamas (deluded inertia) dominate the mind, inner clarity is submerged; ethical life then requires recognizing these forces and cultivating sattva (lucidity) through discipline, right understanding, and self-restraint.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a psychological-ethical condition within the Śānti Parva’s instruction: the mind of a certain type of person is portrayed as overwhelmed by the lower guṇas, setting the stage for guidance about conduct and the paths of action and restraint.