10

TheGunasofPr
akr
it
i

TheThr
eeModesofNat
ure

Thei deaoft het hreeessent ialmodesofNat ureisacr eationoft heanci entIndiant hinkersand
i
tst r
ut hisnotatonceobv i
ous,becausei twast heresultofl ongpsy chological experimentand
profoundi nternal experi
ence.Ther eforewi thoutalongi nnerexper i
ence, wit
houti ntimat eself-
obser vati
onandi ntuiti
veper cepti
onoft heNat ure-
for
cesi ti
sdi ff
icultt
ogr aspaccur atelyor
fi
rml yutil
ise..
..Thesemodesar et
ermedi nt heIndi
anbooksqual iti
es,gunas, andar egi vent he
namessat t
va, rajas, t
amas.Sat twaist hef orceofequi li
brium andt ranslatesinqual ityasgood
andhar monyandhappi nessandl ight;Rajasi stheforceofki nesi
sandt ransl
at esinqual ityas
struggleandef for t,passionandact i
on; Tamasi sthef orceofi nconscienceandi nertiaand
tr
ansl atesinqual ityasobscur it
yandi ncapaci tyandinact ion.Ordinaril
yusedf orpsy chological
self-
anal y
sis,thesedi stincti
onsar evali
dal soi nphysical Nature.Eacht hingandev eryexi stence
i
nt hel owerPr akr iticontainsthem andi tspr ocessanddy nami cform aret her esultoft he
i
nteract i
onoft hesequal it
ati
v epower s.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
pp.220-
21

ThemodesofNat ur
ear eallqualit
ativ
ei nthei
ressenceandarecal l
edf orthatreasoni t
sgunas
orqualit
ies.Inanyspir
itualconceptionoft heuniver
sethismustbeso, becauset heconnecti
ng
medi um betweenspiri
tandmat termustbepsy cheorsoulpowerandt hepr imaryact i
on
psychologicalandquali
tati
ve,notphy sicalandquantit
ati
ve;f
orqualit
yi stheimmat eri
al,
the
mor espiri
tualel
ementi nallt
heact ionoft heuniver
salEner
gy,herpriordynami cs.The
predominanceofphy sicalSciencehasaccust omedust oadif
ferentviewofNat ure,because
therethefirstt
hingt
hatst r
ikesusi sthei mportanceofthequanti
tati
ve
Page-
108

aspectofherwor kingsandherdependencef ort hecr eationoff ormsonquant it

ative
combi nati
onsanddi spositions.Andy etevent her ethedi scoveryt hatmat terisr at
hersubst ance
oractofener gythanener gyamot i
vepowerofsel f-existentmat erialsubst anceorani nherent
poweract inginmat t
erhasl edtosomer ev i
val ofanol derreadingofuni ver salNat ure.The
analysisoftheancientIndiant hinkersallowedf orthequant i
tati
v eactionofNat ure,māt rā;but
thatitregardedaspropert oi tsmor eobjectiveandf or mal l
yexecut iv
ewor king,whi l
ethe
i
nnat el
yideativ
eexecut i
vepowerwhi chdi sposest hingsaccor dingt othequal i
tyoft heirbeing
andener gy,guṇa,svabhāv a, i
sthepr i
mar ydet ermi nantandunder l
iesalltheout erquant i
tat
ive
dispositi
ons.

Essay
sont
heGi
ta,
pp.411-
12

Themet aphysical bear i

ngoft hiscl assifi
cati
on[ oft hethreegunas]doesnotconcer nus; buti
n
i
tspsy chologicalandspi r
itualbear i
ngi tisofimmensepr acti
cal i
mpor tance, becauset hese
threepr inci
plesent erintoal lt
hings, combi netogi vet hem theirturnofact iv
enat ure,r
esul t
,
effectuat i
on,andt heirunequal wor ki
ngi nthesoul -experienceist heconst i
tuentf orceofour
activeper sonal i
ty,ourt emper ament ,typeofnat ureandcastofpsy chological r
esponset o
exper i
ence.Al lchar act erofact i
onandexper i
encei nusi sdet ermi nedbyt hepr edomi nanceand
byt hepr oportional interactionoft heset hreequal i
tiesormodesofNat ur e.Thesoul init
s
personal it
yisobl iged, asi twere, t
or uni ntothei
rmoul ds; mostly,too,itiscont rolledbyt hem
rathert hanhasanyf r
eecont r
ol ofthem.Thesoul canonl ybef r
eebyr isingabov eandr ejecti
ng
thet orment edst r
ifeoft heirunequal acti
onandt heirinsuffi
cientconcor dsandcombi nations
andpr ecar i
oushar moni es,whet herint hesenseofacompl etequi escencef rom thehal f-
regulatedchaosoft heiract i
onori nt hesenseofasuper i
orit
ytot hislowert urnofnat ureanda
highercont rolort ransf ormat i
onoft heirworking.Ther emustbeei theranempt inessoft he
gunasorasuper i
or itytot hegunas.

Page-
109
Thegunasaf fectev er ypar tofournat uralbei ng.Theyhav ei ndeedt heirst rongestr elativehol d
i
nt het hreedi ffer entmember sofi t
,mind,lifeandbody .Tamas, thepr inci pl
eofi ner t
ia, i
s
strongesti nmat eri
al natur eandi nourphy sical bei ng.Theact ionoft hispr i
ncipl eisoft woki nds,
i
ner t
iaoff or ceandi nerti
aofknowl edge.What ev eri spr edomi nant lygov er nedbyTamas, tends
i
ni t
sf orcet oasl uggishi nactionandi mmobi li
tyorel set oamechani cal act i
onwhi chi tdoes
notpossess, buti spossessedbyobscur ef orceswhi chdr ivei tinamechani cal roundofener gy ;
equal lyini tsconsci ousnessi tturnst oani nconsci enceorenv elopedsubconsci enceort oa
reluct ant,sl uggi shori nsomewaymechani cal consci ousact ionwhi chdoesnotpossesst he
i
deaofi tsownener gy ,buti sguidedbyani deawhi chseemsext ernal toi toratl eastconceal ed
from i tsact i
v eawar eness.Thust hepr i
ncipl eofourbodyi si ni tsnat urei nert,subconsci ent,
i
ncapabl eofany thi
ngbutamechani calandhabi tual sel f-
gui danceandact i
on: thoughi thasl ike
ev erythingel seapr i
nci pl
eofki nesisandapr i
nci pleofequi l
i
br ium ofi tsst ateandact i
on, an
i
nher entpr inci pleofr esponseandasecr etconsci ousness, thegr eat estpor t
ionofi tsr ajasic
mot i
onsi scont ribut edbyt helife-powerandal l t
heov er tconsci ousnessbyt hement albei ng.
Thepr i
ncipl eofr ajashasi tsst rongestholdont hev ital nat ur e.Iti stheLi fewi thinust hati sthe
strongestki net i
cmot orpower ,butt heli
fe-poweri near t hlybei ngsi spossessedbyt hef orceof
desi re, t
her ef orer ajast urnsal way stoact i
onanddesi re; desi reist hest rongesthumanand
ani mal i
nitiatorofmostki nesi sandact i
on, predomi nantt osuchanext entt hatmanyconsi derit
thef at herofal lactionandev ent heor i
ginatorofourbei ng.Mor eov er,rajasf indi ngi t
sel fina
wor l
dofmat terwhi chst artsfrom t heprincipleofi nconsci enceandamechani cal driveni nerti
a,
hast owor kagai nstani mmensecont raryfor ce; ther ef or eitswhol eact iont akesont henat ur
e
ofanef fort, ast ruggl e,abesi egedandani mpededconf li
ctf orpossessi onwhi chi sdi stressed
i
ni t
sev eryst epbyal imitingincapaci ty,
disappoi nt mentandsuf feri
ng: ev eni tsgai nsar e
precar i
ousandl imi t
edandmar redbyt her eact i
on

Page-
110

oft heeff
ortandanaf ter-
tasteofinsuff
iciencyandt ransi
ence.Thepr i
ncipleofsattwahasi ts
strongestholdinthemi nd;notsomuchi nt helowerpar t
softhemi ndwhi charedomi natedby
ther aj
asi
clif
e-power,butmost lyintheintell
igenceandt hewil
lofther eason.Int
ell
igence,
reason,rati
onalwill
aremov edbyt henatureoft hei
rpredominantprincipl
et owardsaconst ant
effortofassimil
ati
on,assimi l
ati
onbyknowl edge,assimil
ati
onbyapowerofunder standi
ngwi ll
,
aconst antef f
orttowar dsequili
bri
um, somest abi
li
ty,r
ule,
har monyoftheconf li
cti
ngelement s
ofnat uralhappeningandexper i
ence.Thi ssat
isf
acti
onitgetsinv ar
iousway sandi nvari
ous
degr eesofacqui sit
ion.Theattainmentofassi mil
ati
on,equil
ibri
um andhar monybr i
ngswi thi
t
alway sar el
ati
vebutmor eorlessintenseandsatisf
yingsenseofease, happiness,mast er
y,
secur i
ty,whichisot herthanthet r
oubledandv ehementpleasuresinsecurel
ybest owedbyt he
satisfacti
onofr ajasicdesir
eandpassi on.Li
ghtandhappinessar ethecharacteri
sti
csoft he
sattwicguna.Thewhol enatureoft heembodiedlivi
ngment albeingisdeterminedbyt hese
threegunas.

Butthesear eonl ypredomi nantpower sineachpar tofourcompl exsy stem.Thet hreequal i

ti
es
mingle, combineandst riveinev eryf ibreandi nev erymemberofouri ntricatepsy chology.The
ment alcharacterismadebyt hem, thechar acterofourr eason,thechar acterofourwi l
l,
the
characterofourmor al
,aest hetic, emot i
onal,dynami c,
sensati
onal being.Tamasbr i
ngsinallthe
i
gnor ance, i
nert
ia,weakness, incapaci t
ywhi chaf f
lictsournature,acl oudedr eason,nescience,
unintell
igence,aclingi
ngt ohabi t ual notionsandmechani cali
deas, ther efusal t
ot hi
nkand
know, thesmal lmind,thecl osedav enues, t
het rottingroundofment al habi t
,thedar kandthe
twil
itplaces.Tamasbr i
ngsi nt hei mpot entwi l
l
,wantoff ait
handsel f-
conf idenceandi niti
ati
ve,
thedisincli
nati
ont oact,theshr i
nki ngf rom endeav ourandaspirat i
on, t
hepoorandl itt
lespir
it
,
andi nourmor al anddynami cbei ngt heinerti
a,thecowar di
ce,baseness, sloth,laxsubjecti
ont o
smal landignoblemot ives,theweaky i
eldi
ng

Page-
111

toourl owernature.Tamasbr ingsi ntoouremot ionalnatureinsensibili

ty,i
ndifference, wantof
sympat hyandopenness, theshutsoul ,thecall
oushear t
,thesoonspentaf fectionandl anguor
ofthef eel
ings,intoouraesthet icandsensat i
onalnatur
et hedul laesthesis,thel i
mi t
edr angeof
response, t
heinsensibil
it
yt obeaut y ,
allthatmakesi nmant hecoar se,heavyandv ulgarspiri
t.
Rajascont ri
butesournor mal act i
venat urewithalli
tsgoodandev il
;whenunchast enedbya
suffi
cientelementofsat t
wa, itt ur
nst oegoi sm,self
-wil
landv i
olence,theper verse, obstinateor
exagger at
ingact i
onofther eason, prejudice,att
achmentt oopi nion,cli
ngingt oer r
or ,t
he
subserv i
enceoft heint
ell
igencet oourdesi resandpr ef
erencesandnott othet ruth,thef anati
c
orthesect ari
anmi nd,sel
f-will
, pri
de, arr
ogance, sel
fi
shness, ambi ti
on,lust,
gr eed,cr uelty
,hatred,
j
ealousy ,t
heegoi smsofl ove,al lt
hev i
cesandpassi ons,theexagger ationsoft heaest hesis,t
he
mor biditiesandper v
er sionsoft hesensat ionalandv ital being.Tamasi nitsownr i
ghtpr oduces
thecoar se, dul landi gnor antt ypeofhumannat ure,raj ast hev ivi
d,rest l
ess,kineti
cman, dri
ven
bythebr eat hofact i
on, passi onanddesi re.Sattwapr oducesahi ghert ype.Thegi ft
sofsat twa
aret hemi ndofr easonandbal ance, clari
tyoft hedi sint erestedt ruth-seekingopeni ntel
ligence,
a
wil
l subor dinat edt other easonorgui dedbyt heet hical spi r
it,sel
f-cont rol
,equalit
y,calm, l
ove,
sympat hy ,ref i
nement ,measur e, fi
nenessoft heaest het i
candemot ionalmi nd,i
nthe
sensat i
onal beingdel i
cacy ,justaccept ivi
ty,moder ationandpoi se, av it
ali
tysubduedand
gover nedbyt hemast eringint ell
igence.Theaccompl ishedt ypesoft hesat t
wi cmanar et he
phil
osopher , saintandsage, oft her ajasicmant hest at esman, warrior ,
forcefulmanofact i
on.
Buti nall ment hereisi ngr eat erorlesspr opor t
ionsami nglingoft hegunas, amulti
ple
personal ityandi nmostagooddeal ofshi ft
ingandal t ernationf r
om t hepredomi nanceofonet o
thepr eval enceofanot herguna; eveni nthegov erningf orm oft heirnat uremosthumanbei ngs
areofami xedt ype.Al lthecol ourandv arietyofl i
feismadeoft hei ntri
catepat t
ernoft he
weav i
ngoft hegunas.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
pp.656-
60

Page-
112

Thei ndividual soul ortheconsci ousbei ngi naf orm mayi dent ifyit
selfwiththisexper iencing
Purushaorwi tht hisactivePr akr i
ti.I
fitident i
fiesitselfwithPr akrit
i,i
tisnotmast er, enjoyer,and
knower ,butr eflectst hemodesandwor kingsofPr akrit
i.Itent ersbyi t
sidentifi
cati
oni ntothat
subjectionandmechani calwor kingwhi chischar acteri
sticofher .Andev en,byanent i
re
i
mmer sioni nPr akri
ti,t
hissoul becomesi nconsci entorsubconsci ent,asl
eepi nherf or msasi n
theear thandt hemet al oralmostasl eepasi npl antlif
e.Ther e, inthatinconscience, itissubject
tothedomi nationoft amas, thepr inciple,thepower ,thequal itativemodeofobscur ityand
i
nertia:sat t
waandr aj
asar ethere, buttheyar econceal edi nt het hi
ckcoat i
ngoft amas.
Emer gingi ntoi t
sownpr opernat ureofconsci ousnessbutnoty ettr
ulyconscious, because
ther
ei sst il
l t
oogr eatadomi nat ionoft amasi nt henat ure,theembodi edbeingbecomesmor e
andmor esubj ectt orajas, t
hepr i
nciple,thepower ,
thequal itativemodeofact i
onandpassi on
i
mpel l
edbydesi reandi nst i
nct.Ther eisthenf ormedanddev elopedt heanimal natur e,narrowin
consciousness, rudiment aryini ntell
igence, rajaso-tamasi cinv i
talhabitandimpul se.Emer ging
yetfartherf rom t hegr eatInconsci encet owar dsaspi r
itualstat ustheembodi edbei ngl i
berates
satt
wa, themodeofl i
ght ,andacqui resar elativef r
eedom andmast eryandknowl edgeandwi th
i
taqual ifi
edandcondi ti
onedsenseofi nnersat isfacti
onandhappi ness.Man, thement al
being
i
naphy sical body,shoul
dbebuti snot ,excepti naf ewamongt hismul t
itudeofensouled
bodies,ofthi snature.Ordinaril
yhehast oomuchi nhi m oftheobscur eearth-i
nert
iaanda
troubledignor antanimalli
fe- f
orcet obeasoul oflightandbl i
ssorev enami ndofharmonious
wi l
landknowl edge.Therei sherei nmanani ncompl eteandst i
llhamper edandbaf fl
ed
ascensiont owar dsthetruechar acteroft hePur usha,free,master,knowerandenj oyer.For
thesear einhumanandear thl
yex periencer elativemodes, nonegivingitssingleandabsolut
e
frui
t;allar
ei ntermixedwi t
heachot herandt her eisnott hepureactionofanyoneoft hem
any where.Itistheirconfusedandi nconst anti nteracti
ont hat

Page-
113

deter
minestheexper
iencesoft
heegoi
sti
chumanconsci
ousnessswi
ngi
ngi
nNat
ure'
s
uncert
ainbal
ance.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
pp.91-
92

Noexi stenceiscastent i
relyint hesi nglemoul dofanyoft heset hreemodesoft hecosmi c
For ce;allthr
eear epr esentinev eryoneandev ery wher e.Ther ei saconst antcombi ningand
separ ationoft heirshi f
tingrelat ionsandi nterpenet ratingi nfluences,oftenaconf li
ct,awr estli
ng
off orces, astruggl etodomi nat eeachot her.All havei ngr eatori nsmall extentordegr ee,even
i
fsomet imesinahar dlyappr eci ablemi nimum, thei
rsat twicst atesandcl eart ractsori nchoate
tendenci esofl ight,clarit
yandhappi ness, fi
neadapt at ionandsy mpathywi t
ht heenv ir
onment ,
i
ntel l
igence, poise, r
ightmi nd, rightwi l
landf eel i
ng, ri
ghti mpul se, vi
rt
ue, order.Al lhavet heir
raj
asi cmodesandi mpul sesandt urbidpar t
sofdesi r eandpassi onandst r
uggl e,perversionand
falsehoodander r
or,unbal ancedj oyandsor row, aggr essi vepusht oworkandeagercr eation
andst rongorbol dorf i
er yorf iercer eact i
onst ot hepr essur eoft heenvironmentandt ol if
e's
assaul tsandof fers.Allhav et hei rtamasi cst atesandconst antobscur epar ts,theirmoment sor
theirpoi ntsofunconsci ousness, theirlonghabi tort hei rt
empor aryvell
eitiesofweak
resignat i
onordul laccept ance, theirconst i
tutional feebl enessesormov ement soff atigue,
negl i
genceandi ndolenceandt heirlapsesi ntoi gnor anceandi ncapacit
y, depressi onandf ear
andcowar dl
yr ecoi
l orsubmi ssi
ont otheenv i
ronmentandt othepr essureofmenandev ents
andf or
ces.Eachoneofusi ssattwicinsomedi recti
onsofhisener gyofNat ur
eorinsome
partsofhismi ndorchar acter,i
not hersr ajasi
c,tamasicinothers.Accordingasoneorot herof
themodesusual l
ydomi nateshi sgener al temper amentandtypeofmi ndandturnofacti
on,iti
s
saidofhimt hatheist hesat t
wic,theraj asicort hetamasicman; butfewar ealwaysofonekind
andnonei sent i
reinhi skind.Thewi sear enotal way sorwholl
ywi se,theint
ell
i
gentare
i
ntell
igentonlyinpat ches; t
hesai ntsuppr essesinhimselfmanyunsai ntlymovementsand

Page-
114

thevi
learenotenti
relyev i
l:
thedul
lesthashisunexpr
essedorunusedandundev eloped
capaci
ti
es,themostt imoroushismoment sorhiswayofcour age,thehel
plessandthe
weakli
ngalatentpartofst r
engt
hinhisnat ur
e.Thedominantgunasar enottheessential
soul
-
typeoftheembodiedbei ngbutonl
yt heindexofthef
ormationhehasmadef ort
hisli
feor
duri
nghispresentexistenceandatagivenmomentofhi sev olut
ioninTime.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
pp.222-
23

Tr
anscendenceoft
heGunasandt
hei
rTr
ansf
ormat
ion

.
..
richnessofl if
e, evenasat t
wichar monyofmi ndandnat uredoesnotconst i
tutespi
ri
tual
perfection.Therei sarelat
ivepossibleperfection,butitisaper fectionofincompl et
eness,some
partialheight
,force,beauty,somemeasur eofnobi l
it
yandgr eatness, somei mposedand
precar i
ouslysustainedbalance.Ther eisar el
at i
vemast ery,butitisamast eryofthebodybyl i
fe
oroft helifebymi nd,notaf reepossessionoft heinst
r ument sbyt hel i
beratedandself-
possessi ngspiri
t.Thegunashav etobet r
anscendedi fwewoul dar ri
veatspi ri
tualper
fecti
on.
Tamasev i
dentl
yhast obeov ercome, i
nertiaandi gnoranceandi ncapacitycannotbeel ements
ofat r
ueper f
ecti
on; butitcanonl ybeov ercomei nNat ur ebyt hef orceofr ajasaidedbyan
i
ncr easingforceofsat twa.Rajashast obeov ercome, egoi sm, personal desireandself-seeki
ng
passionar enotel ement soft het r
ueper f
ection;butitcanonl ybeov er
comebyf orceofsattwa
enlighteni
ngt hebei ngandf orceoft amasl imiti
ngt heacti
on.Sat twaitsel
fdoesnotgi vethe
highestort heintegralperfection;satt
wai sal waysaqual i
tyoft heli
mitednature;satt
wic
knowl edgei sthelightofal i
mi tedment ali
ty;sattwicwil
li
st hegov ernmentofal i
mi t
ed
i
nt ell
i
gentf orce.Mor eover
, sattwacannotactbyi t
sel
finNat ure,buthastorelyforallact
ionon
theai dofrajas,sot hatevensat t
wicactionisal waysli
abletot heimper f
ecti
onsofr aj
as;egoism,
per pl
exity
,inconsistency,aone- sidedturn,a

Page-
115

l
imitedandexagger atedwill
,exagger ati
ngi tselfi
ntheintensit
yofitsli
mitati
ons,pursuet he
mindandact i
onevenoft hesaint,philosopherandsage.Ther eisasat t
wicaswel lasar ajasi
c
ortamasi cegoism,atthehighestanegoi sm ofknowl edgeorv ir
tue;butthemind'segoism of
what ev
ert y
peisincompat i
blewithliberation.Al l
thethreegunashav etobet r
anscended.
Sattwamaybr i
ngusneart otheLi ght,buti t
sl i
mitedclari
tyfal
lsawayf r
om uswhenweent er
i
ntot heluminousbodyoft hedivineNat ur
e.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
p.660

..
.manast hei ndi
vidual sel
f,owingt ohisignor antself-i
dent i
f i
cati
onwi t
hthewor kandt he
becomi ng, asifthatwer eallhissoul andnotapowerofhi ssoul ,apowerpr oceedi ngf r
om it,
is
bewi l
deredbyt heego- sense.Het hinksthati tisheandot her swhoar edoingal l;hedoesnot
seet hatNat ureisdoi ngallandt hatheismi sr epresenti
nganddi sfi
guri
ngherwor kstohi mself
byignor anceandat tachment .Hei senslavedbyt hegunas, nowhamper edint hedul l
caseof
tamas, nowbl ownbyt hestrongwi ndsofr ajas, nowlimitedbyt heparti
all
ightsofsat twa, not
disti
nguishinghi msel fatallfr
om t henature-mi ndwhi chal onei sthusmodi fi
edbyt hegunas.He
i
st hereforemast eredbypai nandpl easure,happi nessandgr i
ef,desir
eandpassi on, att
achment
anddi sgust :
hehasnof reedom.Hemust ,tobef ree,
getbackf r
om theNat ureact iontot he
statusoft heAkshar a;hewi l
lthenbet ri
gunāt īta,beyondt hegunas.Knowi nghi msel fast he
Akshar aBr ahman, theunchangi ngPur usha, hewi l
lknowhi mselfasani mmut ablei mpersonal
self,t
heAt man, t
ranqui l
lyobservingandi mpar tiall
ysuppor tingtheaction,buthi msel fcalm,
i
ndif
fer
ent,unt
ouched,
mot
ionl
ess,
pur
e,onewi
thal
lbei
ngsi
nthei
rsel
f,notonewi
thNat
ureand
herworki
ngs.

Essay
sont
heGi
ta,
pp.220-
22

Theseekermustl
earntodist
ingui
sh,
asanimpart
ialanddi
scerni
ngwit
nessofallt
hatproceeds
wit
hint
hiski
ngdom ofhisnat
ure,t
hesepar
ateandthecombinedact
ionofthesequal
i
ties;

Page-
116

hemustpur suethewor kingsoft hecosmi cf orcesi nhi mt hroughal lthelaby r

inthoft heirsubtle
unseenpr ocessesanddi sguisesandknowev eryintricacyoft hemaze.Ashepr oceedsi nt hi
s
knowledge, hewi l
l beabl et obecomet hegiveroft hesanct i
onandnol ongerremai nani gnorant
toolofNat ure.Atfirsthemusti nducet heNat ure-Forcei nitsact iononhi sinstrument sto
subduet hewor kingofi t
st wol owerqual i
ti
esandbr i
ngt hem i nt osubjecti
ont ot hequal i
tyof
l
ightandgoodand, af
ter wards, hemustper suadet hatagai nt oof feri
tselfsot hatallthreemay
betransformedbyahi gherPoweri ntothei
rdi vineequi valents, supremer eposeandcal m, div
ine
i
lluminati
onandbl iss,theet ernal di
vinedynami s,Tapas.Thef ir
stpartoft hisdiscipl
ineand
changecanbef i
rml ydonei nprinciplebythewi ll
oft hement al beingi
nus; butitsfullexecut i
on
andthesubsequentt ransf ormat i
oncanbedoneonl ywhent hedeeperpsy chicsoul increases
i
tshol dont henat ureandr eplacest hement al beingasi tsr uler.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
p.218

Thestat
icf
reedom ofthesoul
, nolongerwit
nessonlyandknower,i
scrownedbyady namic
tr
ansfor
mati
onofthenat ur
e.Theconst antmixt
ure,
theunevenoper
ati
onoft hethr
eemodes
acti
nguponeachotherinourthreeinst
rumentsceasesfr
om it
snormal conf
used,t
roubl
edand
i
mpr operact i
onandmov ement.Anot heracti
onbecomespossi ble,commences, grows,
cul
mi nates,awor ki
ngmor etrul
yright,mor el
umi nous,naturalandnor mal tothedeepestdi
vine
i
nterplayofPur ushaandPr akr
it
ialthoughsuper natural
andsuper normal toourpresent
i
mper fectnature.Thebodycondi t
ioningthephy sicalmindinsistsnol ongeronitstamasic
i
nerti
at hatrepeatsalway sthesamei gnorantmov ement :
itbecomesapassi vefi
eldand
i
nstrumentofagr eaterforceandl i
ght ,
itr
espondst oeverydemandoft hespir
it
'sforce,
hol
ds
andsuppor tsev er
yv ar
ietyandintensityofnewdi v i
neexperience.Ourki neti
canddy namicvi
tal
part
s, ournervousandemot i
onalandsensat ionalandv ol
it
ional bei
ng, expandinpowerand
admitat ir
elessactionandabl i
ssful

Page-
117

enjoymentofexper i
ence,butl ear natt hesamet i
met ost andonaf oundationofwi desel f-
possessedandsel f-
poisedcal m, sublimei nf or
ce, divineinrest ,neitherexulti
ngandexci tednor
tort
uredbysor r
owandpai n,nei t
herhar ri
edbydesi reandi mpor tunat eimpulsesnordul ledby
i
ncapacityandindol ence.Thei ntel
li
gence, thethi nki ng,under standingandr ef
lecti
v emi nd,
renouncesitssat t
wicl i
mitationsandopenst oanessent iall
ightandpeace.Ani nfinit
e
knowledgeof f
erst ousi tsspl endi dranges, aknowl edgenotmadeupofment alconstructions,
notboundbyopi nionandi deaordependentonast umbl inguncer tainlogicandt hepet ty
supportofthesenses, butsel f-sure,authent i
c,all-penet rati
ng, all
-compr ehending,aboundl ess
bli
ssandpeace, notdependentondel iverancef rom t hehamper edst r
enuousnessofcr eative
energyanddy nami cact i
on,notconst i
tutedbyaf ewl imitedfelici
tiesbutsel f-
existentandal l-
i
ncluding,pourintoev er-
enlargi ngf i
eldsandt hroughev er-wi
deni ngandal waysmor enumer ous
channelstopossesst henat ur e.Ahi gherf orce,blissandknowl edgef rom asour cebey ondmi nd
andlifeandbodysei zeont hem t oremoul di nadi vinerimage.

TheSy
nthesi
sofYoga,
p.228

Thethr
eeGunasbecomepurif
iedandref
inedandchangedint
othei
rdivi
neequiv
alents:
sattv
a
becomesj
yoti
,theaut
hent
icspir
it
uall
i
ght;raj
asbecomestapas,
thetr
anqui
ll
yintensedivi
ne
for
ce;t
amasbecomesśama, t
hedivi
nequiet,r
est
,peace.
Let
ter
sonYoga,
pp.1201-
02

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118