Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 18

 Chapter 14 verse 18 

“Those situated in the mode of goodness rise upward; those in the mode of passion stay in the middle; and those in the mode of ignorance go downward.” 

There are a few interpretations of this sloka uttered by Bhagwan. One interpretation is beings who predominantly practice goodness or sattva reach celestial abodes after death, rajasic activities reach back to earth for exhausting those vasanas and tamasic are relegated to the nether world or paathala loka. Another view of this is being traversing the spiritual path towards enlightenment gathers merit and gains through sattvic activities and either gains a fertile ground in the next life to further that journey in the right direction or is right of the need to come back for another life. Rajasic activities don’t lend that option since one has to exhaust the inherent vasanas and added desires in the current life in future lives. Tamasic activities are retrograde and it goes without saying that it sets us back on the spiritual journey.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 17

 Chapter 14 verse 17 

“From the mode of goodness arises knowledge, from the mode of passion arises greed, and from the mode of ignorance arise negligence and delusion.” 

Explaining further why actions performed in different gunas leads to different results, Bhagwan says sattvic activity promotes purity, good intentions and wisdom to discern right from wrong and follow dharma. While rajasic action fosters passion and attachment to the material pleasures and traps such as greed, desire, jealously, avarice, lust etc. Finally tamasic action arises from ignorance of what is right or wrong and inclination towards adharma or complete ignorance of dharma. No wonder these states results in different results of action!

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 16

 Chapter 14 verse 16 

“It is said the fruit of actions performed in the mode of goodness bestow pure results. Actions done in the mode of passion result in pain, while those performed in the mode of ignorance result in darkness.” 

For every cause there is an effect. For every action which is done with a sense of doer ship, there is an effect of that action. If the action is done in goodness or sattvic mode, the results are good. If the action is driven by desires of self gain, the results will cause pain eventually and if the action is driven by ignorance of the spiritual nature of the being and is detrimental to the broader nature and fellow beings, the result will not bode well for the individual.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 14-15

 Chapter 14 verse 14-15 

“Those who die with predominance of sattva reach the pure abodes (which are free from rajas and tamas) of the learned. Those who die with prevalence of the mode of passion are born among people driven by work, while those dying in the mode of ignorance take birth in the animal kingdom.” 

If there was any doubt about the laws of karma, energy transfer in the cosmos as well continuation of the journey of the soul, these 2 slokas clarifies it all. The way one lives their life is not completely fatalistic and the present moment is deterministic of what the future holds. Predominance of purity in one’s life will most certainly let the soul depart in sattva mode and build on a good life lived into higher realms of spiritual possibilities and situation. In other words, soul keeps getting promoted up the spiritual chain if good effort is made in current life. On the other hand, if current life is led with passion and material pursuits, the last breadth remains passionate and in order to exhaust those vasanas, you will get a suitable outlet among other passionate beings. A life wasted in tamas-laziness and spiritual ignorance could relegate a human soul back to the animal kingdom. What you sow, so you reap! Hence the present life, present moment is important. Let’s learn that and start at this current moment on our spiritual journey. Let us not brood over the past, future is not known as well. Current moment is what we all have!

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 11-13

 Chapter 14 verse 11-13 

“When all the gates of the body are illumined by knowledge, know it to be a manifestation of the mode of goodness. When the mode of passion predominates, O Arjuna, the symptoms of greed, exertion for worldly gain, restlessness, and craving develop. O Arjuna, darkness, inertia, negligence, and delusion—these are the dominant signs of the mode of ignorance.” 

Further Bhagwan explains that indicator of Sattva guna is goodness and knowledge. Greed, worldly pursuits for material gain, craving for material things and restlessness are symptoms of rajo guna. Sloth, laziness, darkness, inertia and negligence are the dominant signs of tamo guna. If we are constantly in supreme consciousness mode, these 3 gunas will not affect our mind, intellect and ego. That’s the reason why sadhana or spiritual practice is needed to control the body, mind, intellect, ego complex.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 14 verse 10

 Chapter 14 verse 10 

“Sometimes goodness (sattva) prevails over passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas), O scion of Bharat. Sometimes passion (rajas) dominates goodness (sattva) and ignorance (tamas), and at other times ignorance (tamas) overcomes goodness (sattva) and passion (rajas).” 

Some narratives talk about Sattva being superior to Rajas and Tamas. However all 3 gunas are part of the material nature of the universe as well as creation of the Divine. Hence this one-upmanship is not warranted. The art of living is balancing these gunas to lead a righteous life based on dharma and work hard to detach ourselves from the vicissitudes of being attached to any of those gunas from mind, intellect and ego complex. There will always be situation otherwise where we will lead with one of these gunas. Each of these gunas might be appropriate behaviors in different situation for every moment, hour, day, weeks, months and years of our lives. For example, tamas overcomes us when we feel sleepy and go to bed every night. This is an important aspect of being a living being. Hence an outright rejection of any of these gunas is disrespectful to the creator. Everything needs to be accepted and taken in our strides.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary Chapter 14 verse 9

 Chapter 14 verse 9 

“Sattva binds one to material happiness; rajas conditions the soul toward actions; and tamas clouds wisdom and binds one to delusion.” 

All of the 3 gunas are binding to material nature by one way or the other. Sattva binds one to goodness and knowledge and that could be delusional if proper wisdom is not present and life is not directed towards spiritual path. Rajas bind one to action towards a particular goal and that could take one away from equanimity and poise. Tamas clouds wisdom and binds to heedlessness and sloth. Hence all 3 gunas have a way to derail our path toward enlightenment.