Introduction- 4 7The quality of sattva leads towards the divine and tamas towards the
demonic, while in between these two stands rajas.
The faith held, the food consumed, the sacrifices performed, the
austerities undergone and the gifts given by each individual vary in
accordance with his predominating g�a.
He that is born with tendencies towards the divine is fearless and pure.
He is generous and self-controlled. He pursues the study of the Self. He
is non-violent, truthful and free from anger. He renounces the fruits of
his labour, working only for the sake of work. He has a tranquil mind,
with malice towards none and charity towards all, for he is free from
craving. He is gentle, modest and steady. He is illumined, clement and
resolute, being free from perfidy and pride.
A man in whom raj6-gur:ta predominates has inner thirst and is
affectionate. As he is passionate and covetous, he hurts others. Being full
of lust and hatred, envy and deceit, his desires are insatiable. He is
unsteady, fickle and easily distracted as well as ambitious and acquisi
tive. He seeks the patronage of friends and has family pride. He shrinks
from unpleasant things and clings to pleasant ones. His speech is sour
and his stomach greedy.
He that is born with demonic tendencies is deceitful, insolent and
conceited. He is full of wrath, cruelty and ignorance. In such people
there is neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth. They gratify their
passions. Bewildered by numerous desires, caught in the web of
delusion, these addicts of sensual pleasures fall into hell.
The working of the mind of persons with different predominating
gunas may be illustrated by their different ways of approach towards a
universal commandment like 'Thou shalt not covet.' A man in whom
tam6-gur:ta predominates might interpret it thus: 'others should not
covet what is mine, no matter how I obtained it. If they do, I shall
destroy them.' The raj6-guna type is a calculating self-interested person
who would construe the commandment as meaning: 'I will not covet
others' goods lest they covet mine.' He will follow the letter of the law
as a matter of policy, but not the true spirit of the law as a matter of
principle. A person of sattvika temperament will follow both the letter
and the spirit of the precept as a matter of principle and not of policy,
as a matter of eternal value. He will be righteous for the sake of
righteousness alone, and not because there is a human law imposing
punishment to keep him honest.
The yogi who is also human is affected by these three gur:tas. By his
constant and disciplined study (abhyasa) of himself and of the objects
which his senses tend to pursue, he learns which thoughts, words and
actions are prompted by tamas and which by rajas. With unceasing
effort he weeds out and eradicates such thoughts as are prompted by