FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 14.13

అప్రకాశోఽప్రవృత్తిశ్చ ప్రమాదో మోహ ఏవ చ । తమస్యేతాని జాయన్తే వివృద్ధే కురునన్దన ॥ ౧౩ ॥
aprakāśo ’pravṛttiś ca
[aprakaasho ’pravrittish cha]
pramādo moha eva ca
[pramaado moha eva cha]
tamasy etāni jāyante
[tamasy etaani jaayante]
vivṛddhe kuru-nandana
[vivriddhe kuru-nandana]
Word-for-word
aprakāśaḥ — darkness apravṛttiḥ — inactivity ca — and pramādaḥ — madness mohaḥ — illusion eva — certainly ca — also tamasi — the mode of ignorance etāni — these jāyante — are manifested vivṛddhe — when developed kuru - nandana — O son of Kuru .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aprakāśo ’pravṛttiś ca
aprakāśaḥ
darkness
apravṛttiḥ
inactivity
ca
and
pramādo moha eva ca
pramādaḥ
madness
mohaḥ
illusion
eva
certainly
ca
also
tamasy etāni jāyante
tamasi
the mode of ignorance
etāni
these
jāyante
are manifested
vivṛddhe kuru-nandana
vivṛddhe
when developed
kuru - nandana
O son of Kuru .
Important Words
  • aprakāśaḥ — darkness
    A-prakāśa — the deliberate inverse of verse 11's prakāśa. Tamas is not the absence of light in the world; it is the obstruction of light at the body's gates. The diagnosis is local.
  • apravṛttiḥ — inactivity
    A-pravṛtti — not the calm of sattva but the failure-to-engage of tamas. The duty undone, the call unreturned, the practice skipped. Don't confuse it with renunciation — there is no withdrawal here, only collapse.
  • pramādaḥ — madness, heedlessness
    Pramāda again from verse 8 — chronic missing. The Gītā uses the word repeatedly for tamas because the symptom is repeated. The same person misses the same kind of appointment again and again.
  • mohaḥ — illusion
    Moha — the mis-seeing. Identifying matter as self, the temporary as permanent, the means as the end. Tamas's fourth and most dangerous symptom because the previous three are visible to the bystander while moha is invisible to the sufferer.
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
Purport

When there is no illumination, knowledge is absent. One in the mode of ignorance does not work by a regulative principle; he wants to act whimsically, for no purpose. Even though he has the capacity to work, he makes no endeavor. This is called illusion. Although consciousness is going on, life is inactive. These are the symptoms of one in the mode of ignorance.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
13. Absence of discernment, absence of effort, inattention and absorption in the false appear with the increase of tamas, O son of the Kurus.
Commentary

Absence of discrimination, accepting sound and other sense objects not approved by the scriptures (aprakāśaḥ); absence of all effort (apravṛttiḥ); inattention, for example, conviction that one does not have anything when holding it in ones hands (pramādaḥ); and absorption in the wrong or false (mohaḥ) appear with the increase of tamas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
13. Absence of discernment, aversion to prescribed duties, getting no results from work and absorption in the false appear with the increase of tamas, O son of the Kurus.
Commentary

By lack of knowledge (aprakāśaḥ), by enjoyment of things prohibited by scripture and aversion to prescribed actions (apravṛttiḥ), by lack of awareness (pramādaḥ), such as not noticing something one is holding in ones hand, and by absorption in what is false (moha), one should know that tamas has increased.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

One should be able to place himself and figure out which combination of the modes is affecting him. At different times of a day, different modes may affect us. At 'brahma‑muhurta' time the mode of goodness may be more prevalent. When the sun starts blazing, everyone's blood starts boiling and the mode of passion takes over for a while and then he may feel asleepy and the mode of ignorance takes over. The different modes fight with each other for supremacy, pushing the living entity, controlling him in different ways.

[7. Death in the mode of goodness brings elevation; death in passion brings birth, forcing fruitive engagement; and death in ignorance brings animal birth. (14‑15) ]

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

COMMON THEME: Symptoms of three modes – These verses explain how the effects of the three modes of

material nature, as explained in Texts 14.6 – 14.8, are manifested externally

Focus of Learning

Certain concepts are defined below:

(a) “All gates illuminated by knowledge” (14.11) – Implies

Perception by the senses based on knowledge, in the right position
Clean inside and out

(b) Darkness and inertia implies (14.13)

Not works according to regulative principles
Works whimsically for no purpose

(c) Illusion – Even though he has the capacity to work, he does not endeavor (14.13)

(a) Modes struggle to dominate each other

If one is actually intent on advancing in Krishna consciousness, one has to transcend the mode
“Vasudeva state” – State of pure goodness where one can understand the science of God

(b) How to identify the modes – Depending on the characteristics mentioned in 14.11 – 14.13

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
14.13 Kuru-nandana, O descendant of the Kuru dynasty; when the ality of tamas vivrddhe, predominates; etani, these indications; eva, surely; jayante, come into being; extreme aprakasah, non-discrimination; and apravrttih, inactivity; its [i.e. of non-discrimination.] effects, pramadah, in-advertence; and mohah, delusion, i.e. stupidity, which is a from of non-discrimination. Whatever result is achieved even after death, that is also owing to attachment and desire; every-thing is certainly caused by the alities. By way of showing this the Lord says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
14.13 'Non-illumination' is the absence of knowledge. 'Inactivity' is immovableness. 'Negligence' is inadvertence resulting in works that should not be done. 'Delusion' is wrong knowledge. These arise when Tamas waxes strong. By these, one should know that the Tamas has increased very much.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
14.11-13 Sarva-etc. upto kurunandana. In all the gates : in all the sense-organs. Greed etc., are born in succession when the Rajas dominates. Similarly, absence of mental illumination and so on arise in succession only at the time of the increase of the Tamas.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
14.13 Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.
Commentary

14.13 अप्रकाशः darkness? अप्रवृत्तिः inertness? च and? प्रमादः heedlessness? मोहः delusion? एव even? च and? तमसि in inertia? एतानि these? जायन्ते arise? विवृद्धे have become prdominant? कुरुनन्दन O descendant of Kuru (Arjuna).Commentary When Tamas increases? darkness? a desire to do nothing? forgetfulness of ones duties and confusion ome into existence.Darkness Absence of discrimination.Apravritti Inertness extreme inactivity.Pramada (heedlessness) and Moha (delusion) are the effects of darkness. These are the characteristics or marks which indicate that Tamas is predominant. Tamas is a great stumbling block to spiritual progress and success in any walk of life. It must be destroyed at all costs. People mistake Tamas for Sattva or Santi (peace). They take the Tamasic man for a silent Yogi All is Prarabdha Everything is Maya There is no world Why should I work Work will bind me. I am Brahman. This is not spirituality but pure and thick Tamas.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
14.13 O descendant of the Kuru dynasty, when tamas predominates these surely [i.e. without exception.-M.S.] come into being: non-discrimination and inactivity, inadvertence and delusion.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
14.13 Darkness, stagnation, folly and infatuation are the result of the dominance of Ignorance, O joy of the Kuru-clan!
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 6.16 BG 16.7 BG 18.25 SB 11.25.3 SB 3.26.24 SB 7.15.22 CC Madhya 22.118 CC Ādi 3.99 CC Madhya 19.148 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.5Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.8
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
When tamas predominates — darkness, inertia, madness, illusion — these manifest.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize the felt-sense of tamas: heaviness, dullness, escape impulse.
  • Don't gaslight yourself ('I'm just tired').
  • Apply sattvic disciplines (early rising, light food, association) to break it.
Reflection Questions
  • When did I last gaslight myself about tamas?
  • What discipline would break it?
Analogy

A house with all the windows boarded up at noon — dark inside though the sun is high. Tamas is exactly this self-inflicted shutting. The light has not gone anywhere; the windows have.

Stories
Ajāmila's collapse

Ajāmila of the Bhāgavatam was a learned brāhmaṇa who, falling in with a fallen woman, descended through every door of tamas — aprakāśa, apravṛtti in his duties, pramāda in his vows, moha in his identifications. He named his youngest son Nārāyaṇa, but every other faculty had been boarded up.

The verse's four symptoms describe Ajāmila's middle years exactly. The story's mercy comes only at his deathbed call — meanwhile, the long descent is a verse-thirteen case study.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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