Chapter 14, Verse 13
Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
aprakāśhaḥ—nescience; apravṛittiḥ—inertia; cha—and; pramādaḥ—negligence; mohaḥ—delusion; eva—indeed; cha—also; tamasi—mode of ignorance; etāni—these; jāyante—manifest; vivṛiddhe—when dominates; kuru-nandana—the joy of the Kurus, Arjun
English translation
Darkness, inertia, carelessness, and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 14.13
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.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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