By: Maheshwari S Kumar
The Bhagwad Gita gives insight into our personality. The various aspects of our inner working are knowledge, action, actor, intellect, consistency, and happiness. Each of these can be sattvic – pure; rajasic – passionate; or tamasic – indolent. This analysis helps identify our strengths and weaknesses. With a little effort you can knock off tamas, refine rajas and improve your performance.
“Those devotees who have become one with me with heart and soul, they will, naturally, be bound to be happy by listening to the story of my life.” – Shri Sai Baba (Chap 3, Ovi 17-18)
With sattvic knowledge you see the One behind the varied. You focus on the Spirit, not the changing aspects of life. You harmonize with the entire world and do not feel insecure, threatened, or competitive. You build teams and are successful and happy.
When you are body-conscious, you see maximum separateness. Identify with the mind, you emote with the family. Move to the intellect and you feel one with the nation. Finally, identify with the Spirit and all differences dissolves. You see yourself in all beings. You celebrate their achievements and share in their grief.
Rajasic knowledge creates differences where there is oneness. You see distinctions and demarcations. Petty politics takes over at the cost of larger interests. Tamasic knowledge is no knowledge at all. It is dogmatism and fanaticism.
You perform the best action when you fulfil obligations without attachment or craving the fruit. You do what needs to be done. Rajasic action is driven by desire and craving for the result. Tamasic action springs from delusion, with no regard to loss or injury to yourself or others.
A sattvic actor is enthusiastic, cheerful, and efficient. Free from attachment and ego and unaffected by success or failure. The focus is on the higher ideal. The rajasic actor is selfish, desirous, greedy, impure, hurtful to others and affected by success and failure. A tamasic actor is crude, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, and procrastinating.
That intellect which knows clearly – what to do and what not to do, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation – is sattvic. You are never confused. A rajasic intellect has an incorrect understanding of right and wrong. It drives you down the materialistic and sensual path, and to sorrow. Tamasic intellect is no intellect at all, seeing right as wrong and vice versa.
If you are agitated and disturbed, something is amiss within. Yet, you yell and blame others.
Sattvic consistency is when every breath, thought, emotion and action is directed to the goal of spiritual evolution. Rajasic firmness comes from attachment, which is selfishness. Attachment spells suffering. Tamasic firmness clings to negativities like fear, despair, and arrogance.
“I tell you, whoever takes my name with love, I will fulfil his wishes and increase his devotion.” – Shri Sai Baba (Chap 3, Ovi 11)
True happiness is painful in the beginning but leads to everlasting happiness in the end. False happiness gives instant pleasure but soon becomes sorrow. Ignorant of this you choose instant gratification, signing up for a life of misery. Tamasic happiness comes from sloth, indifference, and sleep.
Sattvic renunciation is performance of obligatory duty giving up attachment and anxiety for the fruit. False renunciation is giving up things when they are painful and wanting them back once the pain is removed. Tamasic renunciation is giving up obligatory duty because of delusion.
With concerted effort your personality gets a lift. And you cruise on the path to happiness and growth.
“Abandoning all the million clever and cunning ways, recall always ‘Sai, Sai’. You will be able to cross the worldly ocean. Have no doubts.”- Shri Sai Baba (Chapter 10, Ovi 135-136)
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