RS swamy, namaskaram.
En pani swamy namaskaram. well said!
Bhagavad GIta 14 chapter gives the description of the three gunams – satvam, rajas and tamas. We learn that the three gunams are intertwined and everything and everyone in this world is influenced by the three gunams; the ratio of the three can vary from person to person, time to time, situation to situation. But influence of all three are present simultaneously. It requires a great deal of discrimintion to correctly ascertain which of the three gunams is predominating in any situation. So, it is very important for everyone of us to repeatedly hear upanyasam on this chapter and understand it well, so that we can strive to keep ourself in predominantly satvam influence.
The 14.17th slokam says ‘from satva gunam comes real knowledge, from rajas comes greed, and from tamas comes illusion and madeness’.
The ‘real knowledge’ that comes from satvam refers to that knowldge which enables one to distinguish between sat versus asat – eternal versus temporary. sat knowledge influences us to choose things that are good for the soul; lack of sat knowledge influences us to choose that which seems pleasurable for the body.
So, whether the scientific discoveries were made in satva gunam or rajo gunam or tamo gunam can be guaged based on whether or not the discovery aims at the good of the eternal soul, or it aims at the comfort, convenience and sense of pleasure of the body and mind. (most discoveries will have a mix of all three gunams in varying proportions. Some can be predominantly in satvam, others predominantly in rajas or tamas).
The 17th chapter helps us understand the three gunams better. Here, how the motivation of the person (i.e. in which of the three gunams the person’s motivation situated predominantly) determines the kind of faith he has, the kind of austerities and penances he undergoes, the kind of diet he consumes, and the kind of sacrifices or donations he makes.
The 18th chapter further explains the three kinds of motivation of the person, which influences the three kinds of actions of the peson, his understanding, his determination to execute things and the kind of happiness he experiences.
Although we can not fathom the motivation of a person directly, the external actions and other symptoms, or the outcome of the actions can help us understand in which of the three gunams a person (someone else, or oneself) is situated in.
We can hear upanyasams and learn the relevant sections on the three gunams, and based on that we can gauge in which of the three gunams modern scientists are predominantly situated.
adiyen dasan.
