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 ||
Wika ni Vāyu: “Anumang gawaing sinimulan nang walang saysay, anumang handog na ibinigay nang walang saysay, at pagkain na ginawa nang walang saysay—ang ganitong asal ay itinuturing na tāmasa.” Sa diwang etikal, ito’y mga kilos na walang wastong tuntunin at paggalang: gaya ng pagbibigay nang di isinasaalang-alang ang panahon, lugar, at tatanggap, o pagkain nang hindi muna pinararangalan ang banal at ang mga panauhin. Dahil kulang sa may-malay na layon at sa pagtuon sa dharma, ito’y binibilang na tamasiko.
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.