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 |
वैशम्पायन उवाच—रजसा तमसा चैव मानसं समभिप्लुतम्। एवंविधो हि पुरुषो यदा जन्म गृह्णाति, तदा लोकपितामहस्य ब्रह्मणः कृपादृष्टिर्भवति, स च तं प्रवृत्तिमार्गे नियुङ्क्ते; तस्य मनो रजस्तमसोः प्रवाहे निमग्नमेव भवति।
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.