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BG 14.17 — 14.17 From Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.
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सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च |
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ||१४-१७||

sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca . pramādamohau tamaso bhavato.ajñānameva ca ||14-17||


14.17 From Sattva arises knowledge, and greed from Rajas; heedlessness and delusion arise from Tamas, and also ignorance.

Word-by-word meanings

14.17 सत्त्वात् from purity? सञ्जायते arises? ज्ञानम् knowledge? रजसः from activity? लोभः greed? एव even? च and? प्रमादमोहौ heedlessness and delusion? तमसः from inertia? अज्ञानम् ignorance? एव even? च and.Commentary From Sattva When Sattva becomes predominant. Sattva awakesn knowledge just as the sun causes daylight. Sattva enlightens the intellect.Greed is insatiable like fire. Greed brings misery and pain. Greed is born of Rajas. Rajas creates insatiable desire. Rajas makes one blind to the in

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

14.17 Sattvat, from sattva, when it predominates; sanjayate, is born; jnanam, knowledge; and rajasah, from rajas; is verily born lobhah, avarice. Tamasah, from tamas; bhavatah, are born; both pramada-mohau, in-advertence and delusion; as also ajnanam, ignorance [Absence of discrimination.]; eva ca, to be sure. Further,

Swami Gambirananda

14.17 From sattva is born knowledge [Knowledge acired through the sense-organs.], and from rajas, verily, avarice. From tamas are born inadvertence and delusion as also ignorance, to be sure.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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