तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥
tamas tv ajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām |pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata ||
- तमः · tamaḥ
- inertia (tamas)
- अज्ञानजम् · ajñānajam
- born of ignorance
- विद्धि · viddhi
- know
- मोहनम् · mohanam
- bewildering, deluding
- सर्वदेहिनाम् · sarvadehinām
- of all embodied beings
- प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिः · pramādālas yanidrābhiḥ
- by carelessness, laziness, and sleep
- तत् · tat
- it
- निबध्नाति · nibadhnāti
- binds
- भारत · bhārata
- O Bharata
“Know inertia to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings, O Bharata — it binds through carelessness, laziness, and sleep.”
— Original plain-language translation
Tamas is the power that dims perception itself, so its victims rarely notice their condition. Its three tools — negligence, idleness, and stupor — cover everything from sleep to self-deception. Recognition is already the beginning of the cure.
— Reader's notes (original)