FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 14.8

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्‍नाति भारत ॥ ८ ॥
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi
[tamas tv ajnaana-jam viddhi]
mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
[mohanam sarva-dehinaam]
pramādālasya-nidrābhis
[pramaadaalasya-nidraabhis]
tan nibadhnāti bhārata
[tan nibadhnaati bhaarata]
Word-for-word
tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance tu — but ajñāna - jam — produced of ignorance viddhi — know mohanam — the delusion sarva - dehinām — of all embodied beings pramāda — with madness ālasya — indolence nidrābhiḥ — and sleep tat — that nibadhnāti — binds bhārata — O son of Bharata .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi
tamaḥ
the mode of ignorance
tu
but
ajñāna - jam
produced of ignorance
viddhi
know
mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
mohanam
the delusion
sarva - dehinām
of all embodied beings
pramādālasya-nidrābhis
pramāda
with madness
ālasya
indolence
nidrābhiḥ
and sleep
tan nibadhnāti bhārata
tat
that
nibadhnāti
binds
bhārata
O son of Bharata .
Important Words
  • ajñāna-jam — born of ignorance
    Tamas is not just dullness; it is the offspring of ajñāna. The cause matters: address the ignorance and the symptom loosens. Treating tamas only at the behavioral layer is symptomatic medicine.
  • mohanam — the delusion
    Moha — bewilderment, the misidentification of one thing for another. Tamas does not merely make one sluggish; it makes one mis-see. The lethargy is downstream of the bewilderment.
  • pramāda ālasya nidrābhiḥ — by madness, indolence, and sleep
    Three instrumentals — the tools tamas uses. Pramāda: heedlessness, the casual missed appointment with reality. Ālasya: dull unwillingness to act. Nidrā: literal and metaphorical sleep. Diagnose which of the three is most active in you today.
  • sarva-dehinām — of all embodied beings
    Genitive plural — universal. No embodied being escapes tamas by birth alone; everyone, sage included, must work against this baseline gravity. The good news is that the work is doable. The bad news is that not doing it is also a vote.
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
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)
Tamas is the densest of the three — born of un-knowing itself, it confuses the whole embodied class. Its tools are three: pramāda (heedlessness), ālasya (sluggishness), nidrā (sleep) — a slow shroud rather than a leash.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Completes the symmetry of 14.6–8: each guṇa is given (a) its essential nature, (b) its mode of binding. Sattva binds upward (subtle pleasure/jñāna), rajas binds horizontally (ceaseless action), tamas binds downward (stupor). 'Sarva-dehinām' notes tamas's universal reach — even sattvic beings doze. Cross-ref BG 14.13 (symptoms of tamas) and 18.39 (tāmasa happiness as delusion-from-start).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे भारत! तमः तु अज्ञान-जं सर्व-देहिनां मोहनं विद्धि; तत् प्रमाद-आलस्य-निद्राभिः (देहिनं) निबध्नाति ।
he bhārata! tamaḥ tu ajñāna-jaṃ sarva-dehināṃ mohanaṃ viddhi; tat pramāda-ālasya-nidrābhiḥ (dehinaṃ) nibadhnāti |
O Bhārata, know tamas to be born of ignorance, the deluder of all embodied beings; it binds (them) by negligence, sloth and sleep.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
तमः तु अज्ञान-जं विद्धि मोहनं सर्व-देहिनाम् । प्रमाद-आलस्य-निद्राभिः तत् निबध्नाति भारत ॥
tamaḥ tu ajñāna-jaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarva-dehinām | pramāda-ālasya-nidrābhiḥ tat nibadhnāti bhārata ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
तमः tamaḥ तमस् (n.) acc.sg. (as object of विद्धि), 'darkness' tamas
तु tu ind. (indeclinable), 'but, on the other hand' but
अज्ञान-जम् ajñāna-jam अज्ञान (n.) + ज (adj. from √जन्) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound), 'born of ignorance' born of ignorance
विद्धि viddhi √विद् impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'know!' know
मोहनम् mohanam मोहन (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., 'deluding' deluding
सर्व-देहिनाम् sarva-dehinām सर्व (adj.) + देहिन् (m.) gen.pl. (genitive plural), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound), 'of all embodied beings' of all embodied beings
प्रमाद-आलस्य-निद्राभिः pramāda-ālasya-nidrābhiḥ प्रमाद (m.) + आलस्य (n.) + निद्रा (f.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural), dvandva cpd. (compound), 'by negligence, sloth and sleep' by heedlessness, sloth and sleep
तत् tat dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n., 'that' that
निबध्नाति nibadhnāti नि+√बन्ध् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'binds' binds
भारत bhārata भारत (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), 'O Bhārata' O Bhārata
Purport

In this verse the specific application of the word tu is very significant. This means that the mode of ignorance is a very peculiar qualification of the embodied soul. The mode of ignorance is just the opposite of the mode of goodness. In the mode of goodness, by development of knowledge, one can understand what is what, but the mode of ignorance is just the opposite. Everyone under the spell of the mode of ignorance becomes mad, and a madman cannot understand what is what. Instead of making advancement, one becomes degraded. The definition of the mode of ignorance is stated in the Vedic literature. Vastu-yāthātmya-jñānāvarakaṁ viparyaya-jñāna-janakaṁ tamaḥ: under the spell of ignorance, one cannot understand a thing as it is. For example, everyone can see that his grandfather has died and therefore he will also die; man is mortal. The children that he conceives will also die. So death is sure. Still, people are madly accumulating money and working very hard all day and night, not caring for the eternal spirit. This is madness. In their madness, they are very reluctant to make advancement in spiritual understanding. Such people are very lazy. When they are invited to associate for spiritual understanding, they are not much interested. They are not even active like the man who is controlled by the mode of passion. Thus another symptom of one embedded in the mode of ignorance is that he sleeps more than is required. Six hours of sleep is sufficient, but a man in the mode of ignorance sleeps at least ten or twelve hours a day. Such a man appears to be always dejected and is addicted to intoxicants and sleeping. These are the symptoms of a person conditioned by the mode of ignorance.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
8. Know that tamas, which produces ignorance, which causes confusion for all living beings, binds the jīva with inattention, laziness, and sleep.
Commentary

If tamas tv ajñāna jam means “tamo-guṇa arising from ignorance,” then tamo-guṇa would appear to arise from its own result, since tamo-guṇa produces ignorance. Therefore the meaning of ajñāna-jam must be that tamo-guṇa produces ignorance. Mohanam means confusion or error. Pramāda means inattention. Alasya means lack of effort. Nidrā means sleep, arising from lack of energy in the consciousness.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
8. Know that tamas, which is produced from ignorance, which causes confusion for all living beings in the form of opposite knowledge, binds the jīva with inattention, laziness, and sleep.
Commentary

The word tu indicates distinct difference of this guṇa particularly from the first two. Knowledge means understanding the nature of objects as they are. Ignorance is a part of prakṛti, whose main nature is to cover and oppose knowledge. Tama guṇa is produced from ignorance (ajñāna jam) and produces opposite knowledge, or bewilderment (mohanam) for all souls. The following definition of tamas is given: vastu-yāthātmya-jñānāvarakaṁ viparyaya-jñāna-janakaṁ tamaḥ: tamas produces opposite knowledge, and covers true knowledge of things. This tamas binds all souls by its effects—carelessness, laziness and sleep. Carelessness (pramāda) means the tendency to perform actions which should not be done, and is opposed to illumination which is the effect of sattva. Laziness or lack of enthusiasm (ālasya) is opposed to action, the effect of rajas. Sleep (nidrā), faintness of consciousness, is opposed to both rajas and sattva.

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

In goodness we can work purely. In passion we at least produce fruits from our work that may be

offered to Kṛṣṇa. Ignorance, however, produces nothing but deeper ignorance. Sattva, goodness,

creates inactivity based on knowledge, but tama, ignorance, creates inactivity based on a lack of

knowledge.

Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments: “The use of the word tu here indicates that ignorance is

opposed to the other two modes. Pramāda, madness, opposes goodness; ālasya, indolence, op-

poses passion; and nidrā, sleep, opposes both goodness and passion.”

Bhagavad Gita Notes

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
14.8 Viddhi, know; tamas, the third alitty; mahanam, which deludes, which is a cause of indiscrimination; sarva-dehinam, of all embodied beings; to be ajnanajam, born of ignorance. O scion of the Bharata dynasty, tat, that tamas; nibadhnati, binds; pramada-alasya-nidrabhih, through inadvertence, laziness and sleep. The activities of the alities are again being briefly stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
14.8 By 'false knowledge' is here to be understood as what is other than knowledge. What is called knowledge is right perception of things. What is other than this is false knowledge. And Tamas springs from knowledge contrary to the true nature of thinngs. It deludes all embodied selves. Delusion is erroneous knowledge. The meaning is that Tamas is the cause of erroneous knowledge. Being the cause of negligence, indolence and sleep, it binds the embodied self through them. 'Negligence' is inattentiveness, which causes one to perform works other than what ought to be done. 'Indolence' is the tendency to avoid work; it may even develop into absolute inaction. 'Sleep.' is the state in which the external organs stop working due to exhaustion and seek to recover from the same. In sleep when only the outgoing actionof the senses stop, it is called dream state. When even the mind (Manas) ceases to function, it is called dreamless sleep. He states the cardinal feature forming the ways of bondage through Sattva etc.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
14.6-8 Tatra etc. upto Bharata. The Sattva is dirtless. [Source of craving-attachment] : that from which the attachment of craving springs up. Negligence : wasting the human birth which is difficult to get, but got by means of hundreds of merits accumulated for a very long period, and which is the sole means for attaining emancipation. That has been also said- 'Not even a single moment of life is gained by (spending] all the gems. [Hence], he, who wastes it, is a man of negligence and is the lowest of men'. Laziness : i.e., in doing good deeds. Sleep : being poor totally i.e. a contemptible course.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
14.8 But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, by heedlessness, indolence and sleep.
Commentary

14.8 तमः inertia? तु but? अज्ञानजम् born of ignorance? विद्धि know? मोहनम् deluding? सर्वदेहिनाम् to all,embodied beings? प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिः by heedlessness? indolence and sleep? तत् that? निबध्नाति binds fast? भारत O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna).Commentary Tamas is that binding force with a tendency to lethargy? sloth and foolish actions. It causes delusion or nondiscrimination. It binds him who associates the Self with the body. A Tamasic man acts under the compulsion of the wants of the body. He has no power of judgment. Troubled by the wants of the body he acts under pressure to keep himself alive. His actions are not guided by reason. They are on the plane of instinct. His senses are dull. He becomes infatuated and stupefied. He has no inclination to work. He yawns much. He sleeps too much. He always wants to sleep. He nevr knows when and how to act? what? to whom and how to talk. He takes delight in following the wrong path. He does not know how to behave or how to address others. He is thoughtless and ignorant. He forgets everything. He is negligent and indolent. He is just in a stage higher than lifeless matter.He who is under the grip of heedlessness (Pramada) is not able to discriminate between the eternal and the noneternal. This is an enemy of illumination? the effect of Sattva. He who is overpowered by laziness (Alasya) is not able to exert. This is an enemy of Pravritti? the effect of Rajas. Sleep (Nidra) is LayaVritti? (a state of absorption into ignorance) which is dependent on Tamas. This is the enemy of the works done by Sattva and Rajas.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
14.8 On the other hand, know tamas, which deludes all embodied beings, to be born of ignorance. O scion of the Bharata dynasty, that binds through inadvertence, laziness and sleep.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
14.8 But Ignorance, the product of darkness, stupefies the senses in all embodied beings, binding them by chains of folly, indolence and lethargy.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
BG 6.16 BG 16.16 BG 18.39 SB 11.25.3 SB 3.26.24 SB 7.15.21 CC Madhya 22.93 CC Ādi 3.99 CC Antya 3.138 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.5Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.8
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Tamas — born of ignorance — the delusion of all embodied beings; binds by madness, indolence, and sleep.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize tamasic patterns: lethargy, escapism, willful blindness.
  • Don't justify tamas as 'rest'; it's not.
  • Use sattvic activity to break tamas.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I caught in tamas masquerading as rest?
  • What single sattvic discipline breaks it?
Analogy

A blanket pulled over the head on a winter morning — warm, dark, and effortless. Tamas is the blanket. The work of the spiritual life is to throw it off, sit up, and face the cold air of awareness.

Stories
Kumbhakarṇa's six-month sleep

Rāvaṇa's brother Kumbhakarṇa, a granted boon gone wrong, slept six months at a stretch. When Rāvaṇa needed him most for the war, soldiers had to beat drums and ride elephants over his body to rouse him.

The Rāmāyaṇa presents Kumbhakarṇa not as comic but as cautionary. He had power, lineage, intelligence — and tamas swallowed all of it through indolence and sleep. He woke briefly, fought briefly, and was beheaded. A life rendered useless by nidrā.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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