Chapter 14 · Verse 13

Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन

aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana

Word Meanings

aprakāśhaḥ apravṛittiḥ cha pramādaḥ mohaḥ eva cha tamasi etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana

Translation

When ignorance prevails, O joy of the Kurus, there arise darkness, inaction, carelessness, and delusion.

Commentary

अप्रकाशः darkness? अप्रवृत्तिः inertness? च and? प्रमादः heedlessness? मोहः delusion? एव even? च and? तमसि in inertia? एतानि these? जायन्ते arise? विवृद्धे have become prdominant? कुरुनन्दन O descendant of Kuru (Arjuna).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.