Shloka 12
Bhūta-guṇa-saṃkhyāna
Enumeration of the Properties of the Elements and Cognitive Faculties
जगत्में जो भी नाना भाव हैं, वे सब-के-सब सात्त्विक, राजस और तामस--इन तीनों भावोंके ही अन्तर्गत हैं। जैसे अरे रथकी नेमिसे जुड़े होते हैं, उसी प्रकार सभी भाव सात्विक आदि गुणोंके अनुगामी हैं ।।
jagat-meṁ yo 'pi nānā-bhāvāḥ santi, te sarve sāttvika-rājasa-tāmasāḥ—eteṣāṁ trīṇāṁ bhāvānām eva antar-gatāḥ. yathā are rathasya neminā saha yuktā bhavanti, tathā sarve bhāvāḥ sāttvikādi-guṇānugāminaḥ. pradīpārthaṁ manaḥ kuryād indriyaiḥ abuddhi-sattamaiḥ; niścaradbhiḥ yathā-yogam udāsīnaiḥ yadṛcchayā; buddhi-rūpa adhiṣṭhāne sthitā udāsīna-bhāvena svabhāva-anusāreṇa yathā-sambhavaṁ viṣayān prati gacchadbhiḥ indriyaiḥ manaḥ pradīpasya kāryaṁ karoti—yathā pradīpaḥ svaprabhyā ghaṭādi-vastūni prakāśayati, tathā manaḥ netrādi-indriyaiḥ ghaṭa-paṭādi-vastūnāṁ darśanaṁ grahaṇaṁ ca kārayati.
毗耶娑说：世间一切纷纭的心态与境相，尽摄于三德之中：萨埵（sattva）、罗阇（rajas）、怛摩（tamas）。如车轮之辐皆系于轮缘，一切心相亦随此诸德而转。意（manas）依止于心智（buddhi）之基，如灯而行：借诸根——随其本性并因缘所许而趋向各自境界，内里却保持不染的超然——照明经验。正如灯以其光显现瓶等诸物，意亦凭眼等诸根，使瓶、布等境得见而被摄取。
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
All mental and worldly dispositions are governed by the three guṇas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—and the mind, supported by intellect, ‘illuminates’ objects through the senses, ideally with an attitude of detachment.
In a didactic passage of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa explains a psychological model: the guṇas underlie all states, and cognition occurs when the mind, seated in buddhi, operates through the senses to reveal and grasp objects—like a lamp revealing forms.