Pragmatic

Approach of
Bhagavad Gita
Instructor: Dr. Akhaya Kumar Nayak
Email: aknayak@iimidr.ac.in

SESSION 9

UNDERSTAND
YOUR
PERSONALITY
A unique analysis of your personality
based on the interesting and fascinating
concept of the Three Gunas given in the
Bhagavad gita

There are various

theories in traditional
and modern Psychology
for the understanding of
personality

Our approach will be based

on Bhagavad-gita

EXERCISE: ANSWER THE VEDIC PERSONALITY

INDEX QUESTIONNAIRE
This analysis is for your personal benefit and it
can be something private if you wish. Hence be
honest when you answer
Take not more than 20 seconds to answer each
question

Numbers for statements

corresponding to each category
Category 1 : 1,5,6,7,12,14,17,18,19,23,25,33,35,
36,39,41,49,50,53,54,55,57,58,59,
63,69,80..
63,69,80
Total : 27
Category 2: 3,10,11,15,20,24,26,28,29,30,31,32,
34,37,38,42,43,44,56,65,67,70,71,
72,73
Total : 25
Category 3 : 2,4,8,9,13,16,21,22,27,40,45,46,47,
48,51,52,60,61,62,64,66,68,74,
75,76,77,78,79
Total : 28

Final score for each category

For Category I: Score x 100/189=..
For Category II: Score x 100/175=.
For Category III: Score x 100/196=

This analysis of your personality based on the interesting and fascinating concept of
three modes of material nature (called triguna) given in Bhagavad-gita

What are the three modes of material

nature?

What is nature(Prakrti
nature(Prakrti)?
)?
And what are two kinds of
nature?

Two types of Prakriti

In the Bhagavad Gt (7.4-5) ,Lord Ka speaks about His two
energies in this world :
bhmir po nalo vyu kha mano buddhir eva ca
ahakra itya me bhinn praktir aadh
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego all
together these eight constitute My separated material energies.
apareyam itas tv any prakti viddhi me parm
jva-bht mah-bho yayeda dhryate jagat
Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior
energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are
exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature. (BG
7.5)
The material energy is called inferior energy and the spiritual
energy (comprising the souls) is called superior energy.

Two types of nature(or Prakriti

Prakriti)
) in this world

Inferior Nature(Material)

Gross Elements
1. Earth
2. Water
3. Fire
4. Air
5. Ether

Superior Nature(Spiritual)

Subtle Elements

Spiritual Body (Soul)

1. Mind
2. Intelligence
3. False Ego

1. SAT (eternal)
2. CIT (full of knowledge)
3. ANANDA (full of bliss)
13

The soul covered by

gross and subtle coverings
Gross body :
Earth,
Water,
Fire,
Air
Ether

Subtle body :
Mind
Intelligence
False Ego

Soul :
Eternity
Knowledge
Bliss

14

When we talk of the modes of

material nature or gunas we talk
of material nature(i.e. the inferior
prakriti)

This divine energy of Mine,

consisting of the three modes
of material nature, is difficult
to overcome..
-Bhagavad
Bhagavad--gita 7.14

Prakriti
Prakriti or Nature is our
Mother

Two functions of
mother is to provide
ingredients for the
body of child and
accommodating space
for child similarly
Mother Nature
provides ingredients
for formation of
material world and

Purusha
Purusha
or God is
our Father
Father

Supplies souls to the womb of

mother nature, Shakti
God is Supreme Shaktiman
Without His involvement, the
creation cannot happen

Why so much
varieties in
physical and
psychological
conditions in life?

Different
varieties of species

19

Different places

Different climates

Different activities and mentalities of

people

Different moods

In Bhagavad gita
we encounter the
concept of
Three Gunas
by which we can
understand why
these verities
occur

The three gunas are

Sattva(goodness)
Sattva
(goodness) ,
Rajas(Passion) and
Tamas(Ignorance
Tamas
(Ignorance )

In English we can call the three gunas as

three modes of material nature
Mode : manner of activity or behaviour or
Existence or way of being

 Three gunas are the ultimate

constituents or the very substance of
Prakriti.. They ARE Prakriti
Prakriti
Prakriti..
Guna
Guna
means quality or attribute
of Prakriti
Prakriti..
The Gunas are the intrinsic nature of
prakriti
Prakrti is the combination of three
gunas Sattva(Goodness),
Sattva(Goodness),
Rajas(Passion), Tamas(Ignorance)
Tamas(Ignorance)

The Gunas and the creation of the

universe
The Gunas are the underlying
qualities from which the whole
universe is derived.

In other words, the whole

universe is derived from the three
gunas
gunas.
.

Before the universe was

created, material nature or
prakriti in its dormant state, was
existing and the gunas at that
time were in equilibrium.
When that equilibrium was
disturbed, the creation of the
universe took place.
The entire universe is, then,
composed of the three gunas

The Gunas
Gunas act in the following
way :
They provide the building blocks for
the universe
Their influence is the cause of
different properties and conditions in
nature
They bind the spiritual soul or atma
atma
to this world

Three meanings of Sanskrti word guna

guna

Quality or
Attribute

Subdivision
Or Something
secondary

Thread,
Strand
or Rope

 The Gunas are all pervading

They are INSEPARABLE qualities
or attributes of prakriti
prakriti
They encompass EVERYTHING
within our experience and totality
of our environment

EVERYTHING in material nature is

characterised and influenced by the three
gunas
gunas
or modes

To understand how
everything is
characterized and
influenced by the three
modes, lets consider
some examples

3 basic colours combine to produce all other colours

Another Example: Consider threads in a piece of cloth .

To create a piece of cloth, threads are woven lengthwise and
crosswise the cloth is made of oos of strands of such threads
going in both direction. Thus the threads pervade the entire cloth ,
Thus the three gunas pervade the entire universe.

Bondage due to three modes

Material nature consists of three modes
modes
goodness, passion and ignorance. When the
eternal living entity comes in contact with
nature, O mightymighty-armed Arjuna
Arjuna,, he becomes
conditioned by these modes.
-Bhagavad
Bhagavad--gita 14.5

GUNA MEANS ROPE

Rope is made by twisting fiber in a

threefold process.
Braided rope

40

Goodness
Ignorance

Passion

People are
acting as
PUPPETS of
the forces of
nature
43

Pure consciousness get

polluted by modes

Messages of Water
Masaru Emoto
Hado Institute (IHM) Tokyo
Hado
(pronounced hadou to rhyme with shadow) = wave/vibration/energy

Dr. Masaru Emoto

Distilled Water Crystal

Water Crystal Exposed to the

Song Entitled, Silent Night

Water Crystal Exposed to

Heavy Metal Music

"Arigatou
Thank you in
Japanese

Water that has been exposed to the words

You make me sick. I will kill you. typed
on a paper pasted on the bottle. (Page 94)

Water crystal of Fujiwara Dam

before offering a prayer.
(Page 135)

Water crystal of Fujiwara Dam

after offering a prayer.
(Page 137)

After blessing
by 500 people

The effect of
the word Love

Water blessed with

Love and Gratitude

Mozart

Beethovens music
Pastoral

Chopin's
"Farewell Song".
(Page 79)

Bach's "Air for the G

String". (Page 77)

Bach's "Goldberg
Variations". (Page 78)

Kawachi Folk Dance

Song. (Page 83)

Distilled water labeled "Do It".

Distilled water labeled "Let's Do It".

Crystal of water that has been exposed to playing of Healing Music

"Hado". (Page 80)

RAJAS

TAMAS

SATTVA