Satva Rajas Tamas

Satva

Rajas

Tamas

Trigunas is the Hindu concept of the working of the human
mind or psychology. Trigunas means 3 characteristics, and
they are Satva, Rajas and Tamas. They are considered the
main operating and controlling principles in a human being.
The entire livelihood and evolution of humans takes place
according to these principles. These Gunas not only exist in
humans but in all living things. They may vary in concentration,
combination and intensity. Based on these factors they control
and determine the nature and behavioural tendencies of the
living being. Even attachment to material things in the world
is determined by the combination of these three principles.

This belief originated from the Samkhya School of Saint Kapila.
This school of thought believes that these three Gunas are part
of Prakriti or the universal nature.

Satva means pure, holy, love, forgiveness, humanity etc. Rajas
mean action, drive determination and Tamas indicates dull,
lazy, negative etc .The three Gunas namely Satva, Rajas and
Tamas are related with Creation, preservation and destruction
respectively.

According to the Bhagwad Gita all these three psychological
principles are all at work at the same time. Their concentration
and intensity might vary at different times of an individual’s life.
All actions which take place in a living organism are due to the
Trigunas. They are in constant competition to gain control of the
living being and one of them may attempt to suppress the other
two for complete power.

By the nature and attitude of an individual it is easy to say
which Triguna is dominating. If a person is calm, holy and
illuminated with knowledge and truth then Satva is in control.
When a person is greedy, domineering and fighting for power
and supremacy then Rajas is clearly in control. Whereas
someone that is inactive, lazy, negative and delusional shows
us that Tamas has all the power.

Monks, Saints and holy members are usually controlled by
Satva. This is clear because their lives are filled with holiness,
joy, patience and purity. A political figure, a movie star, a
captain etc are ruled by Rajas. This is indicated by their
competitive and determined nature and actions. Depressed
people who are weak and cannot fight evils of life are under
Tamas’s influences.

Karma and Karmic actions play an important role with Satva,
Rajas and Tamas. Hinduism states that the concentration of
each Guna in a living being is dependent on ones previous life’s
actions and desires. When ones soul is reborn, the psyche of
the new soul is structured according to actions done in their
previous life.

The Trigunas are hidden when one is a child and only manifests
itself as the individual grows older. As age advances the inherited
Triguna combination takes more and more control of temperament
and personality.

Therefore we must strike to move from Tamas Guna to Rajas Guna
and end our lives with Satva Guna. Dying with Satva predominant
in you is a great thing and will give you a promising next life unlike
Tamas which assures you a life as an insect.