Chapter 14: Guṇa-traya-vibhāga-yoga: – Understanding and Transcending the Three Qualities of NatureVerse 7
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् ।
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥
rajo rāgātmakaṃ viddhi
tṛṣṇāsaṅga-samudbhavam
tan-nibadhnāti kaunteya
karma-saṅgena dehinam – 14.7
Know rajo-guṇa to be in the nature of desire and passion. It springs from greed and delusional clinging. It binds one (the embodied being), O son of Kunti, through clinging to ceaseless activity.
Chapter 14: Guṇa-traya-vibhāga-yoga: – Understanding and Transcending the Three Qualities of Nature - Verse 7
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Sattva-guṇa alone will not be able to constitute life and living. It needs the close partnership with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. All the three go together, co-exist and cofunction. In fact, there is nothing like a unitary existence or expression. Everything is conjunctional.
Hunger is felt in the stomach. But the need and desire to eat spring from rajo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa also causes a variety of tastes for food items. Thus, desire is the cause motivating one to various kinds of activity. But for rajo-guṇa, everything will be in a standstill in the world. It is through rajo-guṇa that Nature keeps everyone active ceaselessly. There is nothing stationary in Nature.
Each guṇa thus has its place of distinction as well as role. Like sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa also causes bondage. It is through the urge for being active and the need to resort to various activities throughout the day, being motivated by various desires.
