Krishna uses the word ‘guna’ at the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita, but the real explanation comes from 13th Chapter onwards. Krishna says, “Know that prakriti (nature) and purush (spirit) are both beginning less. Gunas (qualities, characteristics) and vikar (evolution or change) are born of prakriti (13.20). Prakriti is responsible for cause and effect; purush is responsible for the experience of sukh (pleasure) and dukh (pain) (13.21). Under the influence of prakriti, the purush keeps experiencing the gunas. Attachment to the gunas is the cause of birth in various wombs” (13.22).

Understanding Guna

Krishna says, “Three gunas of satva, rajas and tamas bind Imperishable Dweller (atma or soul) (14.5). Of these, the stainless satva binds through attachment to happiness and knowledge (14.6). Know rajas to be raagaatmak (nature of passion) giving birth to desires and it binds the embodied soul through attachment to action (14.7). Know that tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds through heedlessness, laziness and sleep” (14.8). Essentially, the three gunas (characteristics born of prakriti ) are responsible for binding the atma which is the beej (seed) of Paramatma to the physical body.

Krishna further says, “Satva attaches to happiness, rajas to action while tamas indeed, having veiled knowledge, attaches to heedlessness (14.9). Sometimes satva is predominant, overpowering rajas and tamas; sometimes rajas over satva and tamas; and sometimes tamas over satva and rajas” (14.10). This implies that we are under the spell of the combination of these gunas in various proportions at various points of time. Just as the three primary colours viz. red, yellow and blue produce billions of colours, these three gunas are responsible for the diverse behaviours we see around us.

The next question is how to know as to which guna is binding us at a given point of time. Krishna clarifies, “One may know that satva is prevalent when the light of wisdom shines through all the gates of the body (14.11). Domination of rajas causes greed, activity, restlessness, desire and the starting of action (14.12). Tamas as the ruling guna produces darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion” (14.13).

For example, under the influence of tamas, one would tend to be a couch potato and watch TV. Under the influence of satva, one would like to read or attend a lecture. On the other hand, if their spouse were in the rajo guna, then he/she would like to go out for some shopping, a movie, visit friends etc. Subsequent situations may be due to the interaction between the tamo and rajo gunas. Similar situations driven by the interaction of gunas occur at workplaces too.

Gunas are real Karta (executor/doer)

Krishna says that “ Karmas (actions) in all situations are performed by the gunas of nature; one who is deluded by ahankaar thinks ‘I am doer’ (3.27). One with true insight into the distinctions between gunas and karmas knows that gunas interact with gunas and hence he’s not attached” (3.28). All actions we see around are nothing but interactions between gunas.

It should be noted that no guna is superior or inferior to any other guna. They are all responsible for one form of attachment or the other. Each of them binds the soul to the physical body in their own way. On the other hand, all of them influence us at some point of time during the day. For example, if a person has a high percentage of rajo guna, they will be strongly inclined towards action and may find it difficult to sleep. Therefore, a certain percentage of tamo guna is necessary for rest.

Yoga-Maya : The Illusion by Gunas

Krishna says that “Those sammohit (hypnotised) by the gunas (qualities or characters) of nature are attached to the functions of the gunas; one with perfect knowledge should not unsettle the ignorant whose knowledge is imperfect” (3.29). Apart from being real karta to our actions, they have the ability to hypnotise us.

Krishna further says his lower nature (apara-prakriti) is manifested (man) and higher nature (para-prakriti) is the life-element which is unmanifested. He says that ‘yoga-maya’ (illusion born out of three gunas) separates them and prevents us from knowing Him (Paramatma) as unborn, imperishable (7.25), and knower of past, present and future (7.26). Yoga-maya is like being in a room full of mirrors - each one reflecting us - making it impossible to see what lies beyond. This inability limits us to conclude that every entity is ‘manifested’ without realising the life-element behind everyone and Krishna calls this foolish (7.24).

Falsehood Thrives on Truth

The world as we know it, is made up of both truth and falsehood. A careful examination would indicate that falsehood is nothing but a misinterpretation of the truth, either due to our circumstances or due to limitations of our senses and mind. In the well-known rope and snake analogy, the rope is the truth and the snake is the falsehood that cannot exist without the rope. In other words, the rope is sat (real) and the snake is asat (unreal) and asat always thrives on sat. But, till this realisation dawns, all our thoughts and actions would be based on falsehood, oftentimes, continuing for generations across society.

The insight into the truth and falsehood is essential to understand the following verses where Krishna says, “I have created four varnas (social classifications) based on differentiation of gunas and karmas, but know Me to be the non-doer and immutable” (4.13). He further clarifies, “Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras perform karmas according to the gunas springing from their nature” (18.41).

Krishna clearly says that such division is caused by the gunas and karmas but not a function of birth. The clear message is that they are neither water-tight compartments nor hierarchical. The three gunas are present in all of us in different proportions and these give rise to the four broad divisions, in terms of karmas. As we look around us, we find that some people are knowledge and research oriented; some into politics and administration; some into agriculture and businesses; and some are in service and jobs. This division brings different flavours in the physical world like Einstein, Alexander, Picasso and Mother Teresa; like colours in the rainbow.

While the truth is that humans are of four types because of the gunas and karmas, a falsehood was built that the division is hierarchical and is based on birth. This fact of asat is based on sat needs to be kept in mind while coming to any definitive conclusions in our lives.