We live in a human nature that is a congregation of life, death, creation and destruction. We live a life that is an option to ignorance or bliss. Forces in nature let us either strengthen our wise self or push forward to get into ignorance. To know where we stand, what to do, how to decide if a situation is pushing us to enlightenment or darkness, we have three primary qualities, called as the Gunas, which are the main powers of Cosmic Intelligence that determine our spiritual growth.
1. Sattva – intelligence, imparts balance
2. Rajas – energy, causes imbalance
3. Tamas – substance, creates inertia
The three gunas are the most subtle qualities of Nature that underlie matter, life and mind. They are the energies through which not only the surface mind, but our deeper consciousness functions.
• Sattva
Sattva is the quality of intelligence, virtue and goodness and creates harmony, balance and stability. It is light (not heavy) and luminous in nature. It possesses an inward and upward motion and brings about the awakening of the soul. Sattva provides happiness and contentment of a lasting nature.
• Rajas
Rajas is the quality of change, activity, and turbulence. It introduces a disequilibrium that upsets an existing balance. Rajas is motivated in its action, ever seeking a goal or an end that gives it power. It possesses outward motion and causes self seeking action that leads to fragmentation and disintegration.
• Tamas
Tamas is the quality of dullness, darkness, and inertia and is heavy, veiling or obstructing in its action. It functions as the force of gravity that retards things and holds them in specific limited forms. It possesses a downward motion that causes decay
Whatever be the situation, we need to be in Sattva. To understand which situation a person is, we must know about each kind of a person.
A Tamasic person is one who has rakshasi or demonic tendencies, asuric tendencies.
A Rajasic person loves good living, is lazy, will work only when it is beneficial for him, but he does not believe in harming others to get ahead. He loves himself, loves to indulge in luxury. But he is not fixed in his state. He easily rolls towards satva or tamas.
Satva or sat is a guna – of a saint, a person who is ready to face any trouble for the sake of truth; is content in whatever state he is in; prayerful, simple living and high thinking, focusing only on his own growth. Such people though run the risk of becoming egoistic.
One must be strong and mature enough to know his inner self. Once we are clear on that, we can easily identify a situation and act accordingly to stay in Sattva.
