रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत ।रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥
rajas tamaś cābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata |rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaś caiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajas tathā ||
- रजः · rajaḥ
- passion
- तमः · tamaḥ
- inertia
- अभिभूय · abhibhūya
- having overpowered
- सत्त्वम् · sattvam
- lucidity
- भवति · bhavati
- prevails, comes to dominate
- भारत · bhārata
- O Bharata
- तथा · tathā
- likewise, in turn
- एव · eva
- indeed
“Lucidity prevails when it has overpowered passion and inertia, O Bharata — and in turn passion or inertia each prevail over the other two.”
— Original plain-language translation
The inner life is a shifting contest, not a fixed character: each guna rises by suppressing the rest. This explains our changing moods within a single day. Self-knowledge begins with noticing which strand is currently on top.
— Reader's notes (original)