The Three Gunas of the Bhagavad Gita
- myNachiketa
- Jul 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 9
Have you ever wondered why sometimes you feel super energetic and happy, while at other times you feel lazy and sad? This is because of the three Gunas! In the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwan Krishna tells us that everything in the world, including our thoughts and actions, is made up of three qualities, called gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas – and how they affect our behaviour.
myNachiketa presents the three Gunas of the Bhagavad Gita!
The Three Gunas
In the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwan Krishna explains the three gunas in great detail, especially in Chapter 14. He says that these three qualities—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—are present in everything and everyone in the world. They affect how we think, feel, and act. The Gunas are like three invisible buttons that can make us peaceful, busy, or sleepy, depending on which one is strongest. They are:
Sattva: Represents purity, knowledge, and balance. It fills our minds with kindness, peace, and clear thinking. It helps us learn, love, and be calm inside!
Rajas: This Guna stands for activity, passion, and excitement. Shri Krishna says that Rajas comes from wanting things and being attached to them. It makes us act all the time and keeps us busy chasing results, like always wanting success or praise.
Tamas: Bhagwan Krishna says Tamas is born of ignorance, causing misunderstanding, laziness, and confusion—it keeps us from seeing the truth.
Just as colourful crayons create beautiful drawings, these three Gunas work together in our lives, helping us grow and learn.
Understanding Each Guna
Sattva (The Quality of Purity)
Sattva is all about brightness and clarity. When you’re feeling cheerful, peaceful, and full of love, that’s Satta Guna. It encourages positive thoughts, good actions, and a desire to learn. It’s like when you share your toys with friends or help someone in need, gain knowledge, and show kindness, you feel happy.
सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात् प्रकाशकमनामयम्।
सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ।।
Sattvam nirmalatvat prakashakam anamayam
Sukhasangena badhnati jnanasangena chanagha
Meaning: This Shloka from the Bhagavad Gita(Chapter 14, verse 6) says that Sattva is pure, is full of light, and free from suffering. But, Arjun, it still binds the soul—through attachment to happiness and knowledge.
Rajas (The Quality of Activity)
It gives you energy and makes you want to do things, but sometimes it can also give rise to feelings of restlessness or greed. When you feel adventurous and ambitious, like wanting to win a game, that’s Rajas in action! When you want more and more toys or want more and more junk food, it is Rajas.
रजः रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णा-सङ्ग-समु्द्भवम्।
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम्॥
Rajah ragatmakam viddhi trishna-sanga-samudbhavam
Tan nibadhnati kaunteya karma-sangena dehinam
Meaning: This shloka from the Bhagavad Gita (chapter 14, verse 7) says that Arjuna, Rajas is of the nature of passion and desire, arising from longing and attachment, and it binds the soul (dehinam) through attachment to action.
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Tamas (The Quality of Darkness)
Tamas is when you feel lazy, like when you just want to sleep all day! It can make you forget your responsibilities. Sometimes, we all have days where we just want to laze around, and that’s okay! Realising when Tamas is pulling you down is the first step to changing it.
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत॥
Tamas tu ajnana-jam viddhi mohanam sarva-dehinam
Pramada-alasya-nidrabhih tan nibadhnati bharata
Meaning: This shloka from the Bhagavad Gita (chapter 14, verse 8) says that Arjuna, Tamas is born of ignorance and causes confusion in all living beings. It binds the soul through carelessness, laziness, and sleep.
The three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas – help us understand ourselves better. By balancing these qualities, it helps us stay healthy, happy, and closer to our true self—the soul! So children, let’s learn to recognise these qualities in us, and try to grow the good ones like peace, kindness, and truth, so we can shine bright from within, just like the light of our soul!
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