Gyaneshwari 747

Gyaneshwari -Sant Gyaneshwar

Chapter-18 Release 34. But that firmness by which one holds fast, O Arjuna, to duty, pleasure and wealth, through attachment, desiring their fruit, that firmness, O Partha, arises from rajas quality. When the embodied Self remains in the enjoyment of duty, wealth and sensual pleasures, in both the heaven (741-745) and the earth, he carries on his business of the above three aims of life in the sea of desires. When he sees that by investing capital in the form of actions, he reaps four-fold profit from it, he conducts his affairs with firmness. The firmness with which he exerts himself is called rajasic firmness. Now I shall tell you, the characteristics of tamasic firmness. 35. That by which a dull-witted person does not forgo sleep, fear and grief, as also despair and delusion, that firmness, O Partha, arises from tamas quality. This (tamasic) firmness is made up of all heinous qualities, as coal is formed of a black substance. Why then call such a mean and base thing as a quality? But, do we not describe a demon as meritorious person (punyajana) (746-750)? We also call the planet Mars, which burns like a live coal as auspicious (mangala). So the word quality is employed in respect of the tamas quality without much thought. It has a close relation with sloth; and sleep does not leave a tamasic person, as misery does not desert a person who nurtures sin. Just as a stone does not lose its hardness, so fear does not leave him, as he is attached to the body and wealth. As sin never deserts an ungrateful person, grief dwells in him because of his attachment to wordily things (751-755).