Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14, Verse 13

Chapter 14 – Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च ।
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥

Transliteration

aprakāśo.apravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca .
tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ॥

Meaning

Darkness, inertia, heedlessness and delusion: these arise when tamas increases, O joy of the Kurus.

Word meanings

अप्रकाशः – absence of light, dullness
अप्रवृत्तिः – inertia, inactivity
च – and
प्रमादः – heedlessness
मोहः – delusion
एव च – and also
तमसि – when tamas
एतानि – these
जायन्ते – arise
विवृद्धे – increases
कुरुनन्दन – O joy of the Kuru dynasty

Anvaya (word order)

कुरुनन्दन, तमसि विवृद्धे अप्रकाशः अप्रवृत्तिः च प्रमादः मोहः एव च एतानि जायन्ते ।

Explanation

Krishna now lists four signs of increased tamas. Notice that they are the opposites of the signs of sattva and rajas: sattva's sign was prakasha (light), tamas's is aprakasha (darkness); rajas's sign was pravritti (activity), tamas's is apravritti (inertia).

Aprakasha is darkness in the intellect. Though the senses function, a person cannot see or understand properly; what is read does not register, and sound decisions cannot be made. Apravritti is the inability to take interest in any work, a heaviness even in getting up and moving, a complete lack of enthusiasm.

Pramada is heedlessness: knowingly postponing duty, making careless errors, forgetting what matters. Moha is delusion, in which one mistakes wrong for right and right for wrong. Delusion is the deepest form of tamas, because the person is not even aware of the error.

It is important to recognise these signs, because tamas grows quietly. Its remedy is to begin some effort, however small; to keep the body active; to take wholesome food; and to keep good company and study. Tamas is cut through by rajas, and rajas is then refined into sattva.

Context

Verses 11 and 12 gave the signs of increased sattva and rajas; this verse gives those of tamas. Verses 14 and 15 then explain what destiny follows if one dies while a particular guna is dominant.

Life lesson

When the mind is foggy, work feels distasteful and duties are neglected, recognise that tamas has grown. Simply beginning a small, meaningful task is the way out.

Key terms

Aprakasha: Darkness of the intellect, lack of discernment
Apravritti: Inertia, unwillingness to act
Moha: Delusion — taking wrong for right