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Bhagavad-gītā 14.10

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत । रज: सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तम: सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥ १० ॥
rajas tamaś cābhibhūya
[rajas tamash chaabhibhooya]
sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata
[sattvam bhavati bhaarata]
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaś caiva
[rajah sattvam tamash chaiva]
tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
[tamah sattvam rajas tathaa]
Word-for-word
rajaḥ — the mode of passion tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance ca — also abhibhūya — surpassing sattvam — the mode of goodness bhavati — becomes prominent bhārata — O son of Bharata rajaḥ — the mode of passion sattvam — the mode of goodness tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance ca — also eva — like that tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance sattvam — the mode of goodness rajaḥ — the mode of passion tathā — thus .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rajas tamaś cābhibhūya
rajaḥ
the mode of passion
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance
ca
also
abhibhūya
surpassing
sattvaṁ bhavati bhārata
sattvam
the mode of goodness
bhavati
becomes prominent
bhārata
O son of Bharata
rajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaś caiva
rajaḥ
the mode of passion
sattvam
the mode of goodness
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance
ca
also
eva
like that
tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance
sattvam
the mode of goodness
rajaḥ
the mode of passion
tathā
thus .
Important Words
  • abhibhūya — overcoming, surpassing
    Abhi-bhū — to overpower. The modes do not coexist peacefully; they fight for dominance moment by moment. Notice the verb: this is contest, not balance. Spiritual life is therefore not 'find equilibrium among the modes' — it is 'recognize the wrestlers and leave the ring'.
  • bhavati — becomes prominent
    Bhū — to become. The mode does not stay; it becomes, peaks, recedes. Treat any current dominance as weather, not climate. This is also why post-mortems of one's day are useful: the modes were not constant.
  • sattvam — the mode of goodness
    Named first in the verse though appearing in all three positions. Kṛṣṇa wants the hearer to register that even sattva is one wrestler among three — not a fourth, exalted thing standing outside the contest. It is part of the same fight.
  • tathā — thus, similarly
    The repeating tathā punctuates the cyclical, predictable nature of the contest. The same dynamic recurs day after day in the same person. Recognize the loop; that is half the practice.
Sometimes the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes of passion and ignorance, O son of Bharata. Sometimes the mode of passion defeats goodness and ignorance, and at other times ignorance defeats goodness and passion. In this way there is always competition for supremacy.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The three guṇas live in dynamic rivalry — never static, never co-equal, always jostling. Whichever momentarily prevails colors the mind, only to be overthrown by another. This is why moods, motivations, and inner weather keep shifting.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Introduces guṇa-dynamics as a triadic seesaw. No single guṇa is permanently sovereign; ascendancy is conditional and brief. This is the empirical key to vivekā: by watching the rotation, the witness identifies less with any single state and more with the witnessing itself. Cross-ref Sāṅkhya-kārikā 12 (mutual suppression and support of guṇas) and BG 18.40 (no being is free from these three modes).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे भारत! सत्त्वं रजः तमः च अभिभूय भवति; एव रजः सत्त्वं तमः च (अभिभूय भवति); तथा तमः सत्त्वं रजः (अभिभूय भवति) ।
he bhārata! sattvaṃ rajaḥ tamaḥ ca abhibhūya bhavati; eva rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaḥ ca (abhibhūya bhavati); tathā tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajaḥ (abhibhūya bhavati) |
O Bhārata, sattva becomes (dominant) by overcoming rajas and tamas; similarly rajas (arises) by overcoming sattva and tamas, and tamas likewise by overcoming sattva and rajas.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
रजः तमः च अभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत । रजः सत्त्वं तमः च एव तमः सत्त्वं रजः तथा ॥
rajaḥ tamaḥ ca abhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata | rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaḥ ca eva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajaḥ tathā ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
रजः rajaḥ रजस् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), 'rajas' rajas
तमः tamaḥ तमस् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), 'tamas' tamas
च ca ind. (indeclinable), 'and' and
अभिभूय abhibhūya अभि+√भू abs. (absolutive), 'having overpowered' having overpowered
सत्त्वम् sattvam सत्त्व (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), 'sattva' sattva
भवति bhavati √भू pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'becomes (prominent)' becomes
भारत bhārata भारत (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), 'O Bhārata' O Bhārata
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic, 'just so' indeed
तथा tathā ind. (indeclinable), 'in the same way' likewise
Purport

When the mode of passion is prominent, the modes of goodness and ignorance are defeated. When the mode of goodness is prominent, passion and ignorance are defeated. And when the mode of ignorance is prominent, passion and goodness are defeated. This competition is always going on. Therefore, one who is actually intent on advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has to transcend these three modes. The prominence of some certain mode of nature is manifested in one’s dealings, in his activities, in eating, etc. All this will be explained in later chapters. But if one wants, he can develop, by practice, the mode of goodness and thus defeat the modes of ignorance and passion. One can similarly develop the mode of passion and defeat goodness and ignorance. Or one can develop the mode of ignorance and defeat goodness and passion. Although there are these three modes of material nature, if one is determined he can be blessed by the mode of goodness, and by transcending the mode of goodness he can be situated in pure goodness, which is called the vasudeva state, a state in which one can understand the science of God. By the manifestation of particular activities, it can be understood in what mode of nature one is situated.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
10. When rajas and tamas disappear, sattva becomes prominent, O descendent of Bharata. When rajas and sattva vanish, tamas becomes prominent. When tamas and sattva disappear, rajas becomes prominent.
Commentary

With regards to their respective effects, how do the guṇas arise? When rajas and tamas are eclipsed, sattva appears. It appears because these two become invisible. Thus, rajo guṇa appears from the eclipse of sattva and tamas. Tamas appears from the eclipse of sattva and rajas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
10. When rajas and tamas disappear, sattva becomes prominent, O descendent of Bharata. When rajas and sattva vanish, tamas becomes prominent. When tamas and sattva disappear, rajas becomes prominent.
Commentary

When the three guṇas are equal, how can one of them suddenly become prominent? The nature of the guṇas is that they appear and disappear according to operation or exhaustion of old karmas. Sattva becomes prominent with the disappearance of rajas and tamas. Rajas becomes prominent with the disappearance of sattva and tamas. Tamas becomes prominent with the disappearance of sattva and rajas. When one of them becomes strong and the others are weak, then it produces its particular effects which were previously described.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Modes compete with each other

After describing the effects of the modes, Krishna now tells Arjuna that the modes are not constant in their influence upon the living entity. According to our karma, our work, our association, our choice of food and so on, a particular mode becomes predominant within us.
Here Krishna indicates the awkwardness of the eternal, nonchanging soul’s predicament within this constantly changing world. Srila Prabhupäda therefore writes, “. . . One who is actually intent on advancing in Krishna consciousness has to transcend these three modes.”
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
14.10 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, sattva bhavati, increases, comes into being; abhibhuya, by subduing both rajas and tamas. When sattva increases, then, coming to its own, it produces its own effects-knowledge, happiness, etc. Similarly, when the ality of rajas increases by overpowering both sattva and tamas, then it produces its own effects-activity and hankering. When the ality called tamas increases by similarly dominating over sattva and rajas, it then produces its own effects-obscuring of knowledge, etc. When any ality preponderates, then what is its indication? This is being answered:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
14.10 Even though all the three Gunas of Sattva etc., are associated with the nature of the self conjoined with Prakrti in the form of body, yet owing to the dominance of previous Karmas and the differences in the food nourishing the body, Sattva etc., preponderate or are subdued by turn. Sometimes Sattva preponderates prevailing over Rajas and Tamas; sometimes Rajas preponderates prevailing over Tamas and Sattva, and sometimes Tamas preponderates prevailing over Rajas and Sattva. He teaches that this changing preponderance of the Gunas can be inferred from the knowledge of the effects produced by them.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
14.9-10 Sattvam etc. Rajah etc. Dominates fully i.e. sets [to work]. The Sattva flourishes by overpowering the Rajas and the Tamas. But, the Rajas [flourishes by overpowering] both the Sattva and the Tamas; and the Tamas [does so by overpowering] both the Sattva and the Rajas. That has been stated : 'The Strands augment by overpowering each other'.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
14.10 Now Sattva arises (prevails), O Arjuna, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; nor Rajas, having overpowered Sattva and Tamas; and now Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas.
Commentary

14.10 रजः Rajas? तमः inertia? च and? अभिभूय having overpowered? सत्त्वम् Sattva? भवति arises? भारत O Arjuna? रजः Rajas? सत्त्वम् Sattva? तमः inertia? च and? एव even? तमः inertia? सत्त्वम् purity? रजः active force? तथा also.Commentary Just as winter has its sway when summer and autumn have gone? just as sleep has its sway when a man is neither dreaming nor waking? so also Sattva has its sway when Rajas and Tamas are suppressed and makes people say that they are happy. The Sadhana for increasing Sattva is given in the 17th and 18th chapters.Each ality acts in its own turn at different times. All the three alities cannot operate at one and the same time. When one ality asserts itself or prdominates by overpowering or suppressing the other two? it produces its own effect. Sattva produces knowledge and happiness Rajas action Tamas veiling of knowledge? inertia? error? indolence? sloth and sleep. When Sattva is in the ascendant in a man? he is endowed with discrimination. Sublime thoughts roll in his mind. He has pure understanding. His mind turns away from sensual pleasures and moves inward towards the Self.What is the characteristic mark by which you can know that a particular ality is predominant or is in the ascendant The answer is given in the following three verses.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
14.10 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, sattva increases by subduing rajas and tamas, rajas by overpowering sattva and tamas, and tamas by dominating over sattva and rajas.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
14.10 O Prince! Purity prevails when Passion and Ignorance are overcome; Passion, when Purity and Ignorance are overcome; and Ignorance when it overcomes Purity and Passion.
Related values & verses
Related values
Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 2.14 BG 3.33 BG 18.40 SB 11.25.17 SB 3.26.15 SB 1.2.23 CC Madhya 19.148 CC Ādi 3.90 CC Madhya 24.141 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 1.9Maitrī Upaniṣad 3.5
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Sometimes one mode predominates and conquers the others — they alternate dominance over the soul.
Practical Applications
  • Track mode-shifts through the day or week.
  • Notice which conditions promote which mode.
  • Adjust environment to favor sattva.
Reflection Questions
  • What environmental factors promote tamas in me?
  • What promotes sattva?
Analogy

Three wrestlers in a single ring — at any moment one is pinning the other two, but the next moment the configuration shifts. The soul, sitting at ringside, mistakes whichever wrestler is on top for itself. The whole chapter is a training in not making that mistake.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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