Verse 14.8 : Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga "Three Modes of Nature"
Verse 8 of 27
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The Translation
“But know Tamas (darkness/inertia) to be born of ignorance, which deludes all embodied souls. It binds them, O Bharata, through negligence, laziness, and excessive sleep.”
Commentary & Insights
Krishna describes the third mode, Tamas (ignorance/inertia), explaining how it deludes the soul through laziness, negligence, and excessive sleep.
Practical Application
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If you feel lazy or sluggish today, break the Tamas by taking a brisk 10-minute walk or completing a small, quick task to activate your energy.
Reflections & Notes
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Self-Reflection Prompts
- Tamas is characterized by procrastination (ālasya) and carelessness (pramāda). How do you feel when you are under the influence of Tamas? How can you break this state?
- Why is sleep (nidrā) necessary for the body, yet 'excessive sleep' classified as a binding quality of Tamas? Where is the line between rest and inertia?
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14.8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्
Tamas is the opposite of Sattva. It hides the truth and creates illusion (moha). It binds by preventing a person from doing their duties (ālasya), causing them to make mistakes (pramāda), and putting them into a state of unconsciousness or sleep (nidrā). This is the deepest state of bondage.