Lobhah pravrittir arambhah karmanam ashamah sprha, rajasy etani jayante vivriddhe bharatarshabha
O chief of the Bharatas, when the mode of passion increases, the symptoms of great attachment, uncontrollable desire, hankering, and intense endeavor all develop. These symptoms of rajas are self-reinforcing — each feeds the others in a cycle of restlessness.
- •Rajas manifests as greed, restlessness, and intense ambition
- •Uncontrollable desire is the clearest sign of rajasic dominance
- •Recognizing these symptoms helps one begin to disengage
Sattvat sanjayate jnanam rajaso lobha eva cha, pramada-mohau tamaso bhavato 'jnanam eva cha
From the mode of goodness, knowledge develops. From the mode of passion, greed develops. From the mode of ignorance, foolishness, madness, and illusion develop. The quality of one's inner growth is determined by which guna is being cultivated.
- •Sattva generates wisdom and true knowledge
- •Rajas generates greed and acquisitiveness
- •Tamas generates folly and delusion
Idam adya maya labdham imam prapsye manoratham, idam astīdam api me bhavisyati punar dhanam
The demoniac person thinks: So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future more and more. This verse captures the inner monologue of the demoniac mind — a ceaseless internal accounting of possessions past, present, and future, revealing a heart consumed by acquisitive greed.
- •The demoniac mind is perpetually occupied with calculating and planning the accumulation of more
- •Greed masquerades as planning and ambition in the demoniac consciousness
- •Satisfaction is permanently deferred — there is always more to acquire in the demoniac vision
Tri-vidham narakasyedam dvaram nashanam atmanah, kamah krodhas tatha lobhas tasmad etat trayam tyajet
There are three gates leading to self-destruction and hell: lust, anger, and greed. Therefore, one should abandon these three.
- •Three primary obstacles identified
- •They lead to downfall
- •Must be consciously renounced
ragi karma-phala-prepsur lubdho himsatmako 'sucih harsa-sokanvitah karta rajasah parikirtitah
The doer who is passionate, who desires the fruits of actions, who is greedy, violent in nature, impure, and moved by joy and sorrow is declared to be rajasic. Such a person is driven by turbulent emotions and self-seeking motivation.
- •The rajasic doer craves fruits, is greedy, and acts with violence of temperament
- •Emotional instability — elation and grief — marks the rajasic agent
- •Impurity of motivation and nature characterize rajasic doership