Practical Ways to Increase Sattva

Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda, this episode is part of a series of talks that unfold the highest truths of Vedanta through the study of the Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of God".

In this episode, Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches chapter 14, verses 6 -10 of the Bhagavad Gita.

Chapter 14 is devoted to an understanding of the Gunatreya Vibhaga Yoga, or the three qualities/components of Maya. The entire universe is created by a projection of the three gunas - satva, rajas, and tamas. Understanding the science of the three gunas and how we can apply it to our lives is the focus of Chapter 14.

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Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 6:

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् |

सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ || 6||

tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayam

sukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha

⧫ Satva, on account of its stainlessness, is luminous and free from evil. Oh, sinless one [Arjuna], it binds the embodied self by attachment to happiness and knowledge

Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 7:

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् |

तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् || 7||

rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam

tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam

⧫ Know rajas to be of the nature of passion, the source of desire and attachment, oh son of Kunti, it binds fast the embodied self by attachment to action.

Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 8:

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् |

प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत || 8||

tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām

pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata

⧫ But know tamas to be born of ignorance and deluding all embodied beings, it binds fast, oh descendant of Bharata, through inadvertence, laziness, and sleep.

Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 9:

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रज: कर्मणि भारत |

ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तम: प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत || 9||

sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata

jñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta

⧫ Satva binds one to happiness, rajas, oh descendant of Bharata, binds one to work, while tamas, by covering knowledge, binds one to inadvertence

Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 14, Verse 10:

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत |

रज: सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तम: सत्त्वं रजस्तथा || 10||

rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata

rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā

⧫ Satva manifests, oh descendant of Bharata, as overpowering rajas and tamas, rajas manifests overpowering satva and tamas, and likewise tamas manifests overpowering satva and rajas