Every individual is made up of two part – sakshi part, higher nature and ahaMkAra, the lower nature; the higher nature made up only consciousness or atma; the ahaMkAra, the lower part, is made up of body mind complex and enjoys reflected consciousness, because of which it becomes sentient.  This is similar to a mirror which has two parts – the reflected light and the object in front of the mirror.  Sakshi is neither the body nor the reflected consciousness, but the original consciousness.  The lower nature is saguna ahaMkAra and higher nature is nirguna sakshi.  AhaMkAra is made up of prakriti.  AhaMkAra is bound by the three gunas – satvic, rajasic or tamasic – only the proportion of each guna changes.  That changes in proportion changes the type of bondage and samsara.  AhaMkAra cannot escape the three gunas.  We will have to renounce the three gunas and own up to higher nature.  However, Lord Krishna states that to own up higher nature, we should use the three gunas – similar to a pole vaulter using the pole to cross the bar and then drop the pole.

Verse 6

Among them sattva is bright and harmless due to its purity.  It binds by causing attachment to pleasure and by causing attachment to knowledge, Oh, Arjuna!

In the following verses, Lord Krishna describes the three gunas.  The analysis of three gunas will be discussed in the following topics:

1. Definition of each guna
2. Mode or method of bondage
3. Indication of clue to find out which guna is predominant in one person
4. Course of travel taken by a jiva after death, based on each guna.
5. Consequence of the domination of each guna in this life

In verse 6 Lord Krishna discusses sattva lakshasam and bandhanam, in verse 7, he discusses rājasa lakshanam and bandhanam and in verse 8, he discusses tamasic lakshanam and bandhanam.

A sattva pradhana mind will have clarity, because it is not polluted by tamasic guna.

When sattva guna is influenced by tāmo guna, the mind will be turbulent.  But when sattva guna is not influenced by tāmo guna, the mind will be bright and calm, and have clarity in thinking. If rājo guna pollutes sattva guna, the mind will become restless.  When rājo guna does not influence sattva guna, mind will be free from tension, stress, strain, and restlessness. 

So, sattva guna is tranquil, bright and calm.  But sattva guna is also bondage because a satvic mind seeks seclusion and tranquility.  To be secluded and tranquil, external forces must be controlled. But external forces are difficult to control and when there is no seclusion, the satvic mind becomes disturbed and the quietude becomes raga.  Sattva guna leads to noble dependence.  A satvic mind is attached to tranquility and knowledge and is bound by greed for more knowledge or apara vidya.  A satvic mind suffers from intellectual samsara. 

Verse 7

Understand Rajas to be of the nature of passion and to be cause of desire and attachment.  It binds the Self by causing attachment to activity, Oh Arjuna!

A rajasic mind is highly extroverted and wants to relate to things and people.  Each guna plays its own role in our life and each one of them is required for life.  We need all three gunas to attain moksha.  Rājo guna has an ambitious mind and desires for possessions.  Mind is full of desires – selfish desires and selfless desires.  A rajasic mind wants to hold on to all possession.  Rājo guna desires for things not yet possessed and attaches to things already possessed. 

Karma is required for karma yoga, after that one must shift to jñāna yoga.  The problem with rajasic person is he can’t shift to jñāna yoga.

Verse 8

Understand tamas to be born of ajñānam and to be the deluder of all beings.  It binds by causing negligence, indolence, and sleep, Oh Arjuna!

Tāmo guna was born out ajñānam or prakriti.  The predominance of tāmo guna suppresses sattva guna and rājo guna.  Since sattva guna is suppressed, there is no clarity or goal in life but there is delusion.  Even when there are goals, there is no clarity of goals.   A tamasic person is either asleep or sleepy; as he does not do any karma, he does not acquire punyam or pavam.  This is not as good as it sounds because animals also do not acquire pavam or punyam.

Verse 9

Sattva binds one to pleasure.  Rajas binds one to action.  Whereas tamas binds one to negligence by veiling the discriminative power, Oh Arjuna!

Each guna binds by creating an addiction.  Sattva guna is addicted to knowledge and tranquility.  Rājo guna is addicted to karma.  Doing karma is not a problem but addiction to karma is samsara.  Each of the guna create samsara:

• Rajasic creates samsara by doing karma.  Doing karma is wonderful, but addiction to karma is a problem.
• Sattvic creates samsara by gaining knowledge.  Gaining knowledge is wonderful, but addiction to knowledge is a problem.
• Meditating is wonderful, but addiction to meditation is problem by covering clarity.  (Tamasic).