Not long after writing my post about little slumps yesterday, I continued my journey through the Bhagavad Gita (tr. Eknath Easwaran). The chapter I came upon was chapter 14: "The Forces of Evolution" wherein Krishna explains to Arjuna that there are three gunas, born of prakriti (matter;mind;thought-everything except pure spirit "Purusha"). These three gunas–sattva, rajas and tamas–bind the Self to the body. Sattva binds us with happiness and wisdom. Rajas is passion and binds us with compulsive action. Tamas deludes us with heedlessness, indolence and sleep; we are bound to this delusion.
It goes on to explain that (14.11-14.13): "When sattva predominates, the light of wisdom shines through every gate of the body. When rajas predominates, a person runs about pursuing selfish and greedy ends, driven by restlessness and desire. When tamas is dominant a person lives in darkness–slothful, confused and easily infatuated." So you see, I was hanging out in a sattvic state, life was good. Then I fell out of sattva-time somehow. This is not surprising because these three gunas are in a constant state of flux. The only way to attain steady peace and joy is to go beyond the gunas and devote oneself entirely to the love and servitude of Krishna/Brahman/Atman/Truth that cannot be named.
One who has moved beyond the gunas is not phased but worldy matter. (14.24-14.25): "Established within themselves, they are equal in pleasure and pain, praise and blame, kindness and unkindness. Clay, a rock, and gold are the same to them. Alike in honor and dishonor, alike to friend and foe, they have given up every selfish pursuit. Such are those who have gone beyond the gunas."
I am no where near going beyond the gunas. Rajas takes hold of me frequently. Journey on, journey on. OM and Guna-night!
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