Satyopanisad

[Guest guest]

Swami! We have many qualities - tamasika, rajasika and sduvika Do they change at

any time? How are we to ennoble ourselves? Sometimes these attributes may be

responsible for conflicts with our colleagues in the office. What is to be done

under these circumstances? Kindly give us a solution to this problem that we

encounter everyday?

 

The whole world revolves round these three attributes - tamasika, rajasika and

sattvika. Every individual has these three attributes working like the three

blades of a fan. But in a person, the quality which dominates the other two

decides his nature, his total personality, nay, his very destiny as a whole.

 

He is a pious man whose sattvika quality dominates his rajasika and tamasika

qualities. He is an emotional, passionate, active man if his rajasika quality

dominates his sattvika and tamasika qualities. He is a dull, inactive and

passive man if he is dominated by the tamasika nature. Thus, everyone has these

three attributes.

 

For instance, in an eyeball don't you see all the three colours, white, red, and

black. They symbolise these trigunas or traits. Watch the sunrise. You will

notice three colours red, white and black indicating trigunas or the three

attributes. However, you should note one important point. Gunas have no

independent existence. Divinity makes them functional. But the gunas are not to

be found in the divine as God is gunatita, beyond attributes.

 

Gunas are transformable. For instance, you can get over tamasika quality by

karma, action. Karma transforms tamasika quality into rajasika activity.

Rajasika nature is dual. It may give you success or failure, profit or loss,

praise or blame, etc. Man has to perform karma. In fact there is no one who does

not take any action. You may lie on a bed sleeping, yet your heart beats, blood

circulates and the nervous system and pulmonary system work. Don't they? Does it

not amount to action?

 

By doing selfless actions, offering all the fruits of action to God, serving God

in everyone and by realising indwelling divinity, one can develop anubhavajnana,

practical wisdom or experience based wisdom. At that stage, a rajasika person

becomes a sattvika person. Therefore, karma is important karmanubandhini manus

yaloke , human society is bound by action. Your very life is gifted to do karma.

Thus, janma, birth and karma, actions are inter-related. In fact, one should

salute respectfully the action he does. Tasmai namah karman e, my salutations to

the action given or assigned to me. Therefore, a tamasika nature can be

converted into rajasika by volitional action, which can be further transformed

into sattvika by bhakti, and jnana, devotion and awareness. This is sadhana or

spiritual practice.

 

By atmavicara, self- enquiry you can improve and change your nature. When any

lower or animal qualities like wavering of the mind, excessive sleep, gluttony,

crop up immediately say to yourself at least ten times. " I am a man, I am not an

animal. " Then, you will be able to get over them. Do your duty sincerely. Don't

be pompous. Don't show off nor do any stunt. Always be sure that God notices

everything that you do, though others may not. Do your duty with love.

 

" Duty with love is Desirable.

Duty without love is Deplorable,

Love without duty is Divine. "

 

If you offer all your work and the fruits thereof to God, your work will be

transformed into worship.

 

You may not agree with your colleagues in your office. Your temperament may be

incompatible with theirs, sometimes leading to controversies and in-­fights and

you may, as a result, lose your peace of mind. So, don't have too close a

relationship with too many people. Say " hello, hello " to everyone, `how are you'

to all those you meet and end with `goodbye'. That's all and nothing more.

 

Today, there is no real social service. Everything is either slow service or

show-service. You should have a feeling that what you do is not for anybody but

for your own satisfaction and happiness. Whatever you do, do it for the

satisfaction of your conscience. You shouldn't do anything for praise or

appreciation by others. Your conscience is God. Know that character is most

important and you should never compromise on this score. What is always

necessary for success in life is co-operation. But nowadays, we find only

operation.

 

By joining good company satsang, listening to the teachings of great masters and

seers and above all with God's grace, you can change your attitudes and

mentality. By Buddha's teaching the cruel Angulimala and by Narada's

instructions Ratnakara (who became sage Valmiki later) were transformed.

Visvamitra who was a Rajarshi, a sage among kings became a Brahmarshi, a sage

ever immersed in Brahman by the direction of Vasishtha. Visvamitra thus became

the mitra, friend of the visva, universe.

 

Arjuna, on one occasion dropped his bow and arrows in the battlefield. He became

tamasika (dull. passive, weak) and even reluctant to engage in a war for which

he stood in the battle-field. He forgot all the vows he had taken and the

atrocities the Kauravas committed. It was at that time that Krishna induced

rajasika quality into Arjuna's mind preparing him for the war of Kurukshetra

with renewed zeal.

 

Emperor Janaka who became a rajarshi due to the teachings of Sage Yajnavalkya

renounced everything and became a perfect jnani, one known for spiritual wisdom.

 

Therefore, by intense sadhana, tamas can be converted into rajas, and rajas into

sattva. In so doing an aspirant, becomes a recipient of God's grace and

ultimately a seeker of nirvana (liberation).