Shloka 22
Vimokṣa-niścaya: Pañcaśikha’s Analysis of Aggregates, Guṇas, and Tyāga (मोक्षनिर्णयः)
सत्त्वस्यथ रजसश्वैव तमसश्न निबोध तान् । प्रसादो हर्षजा प्रीतिरसंदेहो धृति: स्मृति: । एतान् सत्त्वगुणान् विद्यादिमान् राजसतामसान्
sattvasya atha rajasaś caiva tamasaś ca nibodha tān | prasādo harṣajā prītir asaṃdeho dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ | etān sattvaguṇān vidyād imān rājasatāmasān |
毗湿摩说道：“如今当明了三种德性——萨埵（sattva）、罗阇（rajas）与昏暗（tamas）的作用。心之澄明安宁、由欢喜而生的爱悦、无疑之定、坚忍与记忆——此皆应知为萨埵之所作。反之，欲与嗔等冲动，以及放逸、贪婪、迷妄、恐惧、疲惫、沮丧、忧悲、不悦、傲慢、狂矜与粗鄙失礼之行——当识为罗阇与昏暗之所作。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma classifies mental states and behaviors by the three guṇas: sattva produces clarity, joyful affection, certainty, steadiness, and memory; rajas and tamas manifest as desire-driven agitation and darker states like anger, negligence, greed, delusion, fear, fatigue, sorrow, pride, arrogance, and ignoble conduct.
In the Shanti Parva instruction to Yudhishthira, Bhishma continues his ethical teaching by explaining how to recognize the guṇas through their observable effects in the mind and character, guiding the king toward self-governance and righteous rule.