Verse 12.26

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

सत्त्वं ज्ञानं तमोऽज्ञानं रागद्वेषौ रजः स्मृतम् ।
एतद् व्याप्तिमदेतेषां सर्वभूताश्रितं वपुः ॥ २६ ॥

sattvaṃ jñānaṃ tamo'jñānaṃ rāgadveṣau rajaḥ smṛtam |
etad vyāptimadeteṣāṃ sarvabhūtāśritaṃ vapuḥ || 26 ||

‘Sattva’ has been declared to be Knowledge, ‘Tamas,’ to be Ignorance, and ‘Rajas,’ to be Love and Hate;—such is the nature of these, all-pervading and interpenetrating all beings.—(26)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Such in general is the character of these, pervading over all living beings.

‘Knowledge’—cognition.

‘Ajñana,’ ‘Ignorance’—stands for Delusion; not for the unconsciousness caused by intoxication, swoon or such other causes.

‘Rajas’ has a two-fold character; the two terms ‘rajas’ and ‘tamas,’ being indicative of two distinct characteristics.

Those who are influenced by knowledge and wisdom are never affected by too much anger, nor are they ever careless.

‘Vapuḥ,’ ‘nature’—character.—This is all-pervading, because the seed of impressions is never destroyed, lasting as it does till one has attained Brahman—(26)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Prāyaścitta, p. 487);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda, (Prāyaścitta 40b.)