Meaning of Rajo Guna

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What is Rajo guna

The Mahabharata, Aswamedha Parva)

 

Brahma said: I shall now declare to you accurately what the quality

of Passion (Rajas) is.

 

Hurting others, beauty, toil, pleasure and pain, cold and heat,

lordship (or power), war, peace, arguments, dissatisfaction,

endurance, might, valour, pride, wrath, exertion, quarrel, jealousy,

desire, malice, battle, protection of others, slaughter, bonds, and

affliction, buying and selling, lopping off, cutting, piercing and

cutting off the coat of mail that another has worn, fierceness,

cruelty, vilifying, pointing out the faults of others, thoughts

entirely devoted to worldly affairs, anxiety, animosity, reviling of

others, false speech, false or vain gifts, hesitancy or doubts,

boastfulness of speech, praise and criticisms, laudation, prowess,

defiance, attendance (as on the weak and the sick), obedience (to the

commands of preceptors and parents), service or ministrations,

harbouring of thirst or desire, cleverness or dexterity of conduct,

policy heedlessness, contumely, possessions, and diverse decorations

that prevail in the world among men, women, animals, inanimate

things, houses, grief, incredulousness, vows and regulations, actions

with expectation (of good result), diverse acts of public charity,

the rites in respect of Swaha salutations, rites of Swadha and

Vashat, officiating at the sacrifices of others, imparting of

instruction, performance of sacrifices, study, making of gifts,

acceptance of gifts, rites of expiation, auspicious acts, the wish to

have this and that, affection generated by the merits of the object

for which or whom it is felt, treachery, deception, disrespect and

respect, theft, killing, desire of concealment, vexation,

wakefulness, ostentation, haughtiness, attachment, devotion,

contentment, exultation, gambling, indulgence in scandal, all

relations arising out of women, attachment to dancing, instrumental

music and songs – all these qualities have been said to belong to the

quality of Passion (Rajas).

 

Those men on earth who meditate on the past, present and the future,

who are devoted to the aggregate of the three viz., Religion, Wealth

and Pleasure, who acting from impulse of desire, exult on attaining

to affluence in respect of every desire, are said to be enveloped by

Passion (Rajas). These men have downward courses. Repeatedly reborn

in this world, they give themselves up to pleasure. They covet what

belongs to the world as also all those fruits that belong to the

world hereafter. They make gifts, accept gifts, offer oblations to

the Pitris, and pour libations on the sacrificial fire.

 

The qualities of Passion have thus been declared to you in their

variety. The course of conduct also to which it leads has been

properly described to you. The man, who always understands these

qualities, succeeds in always freeing himself from all of them which

appertain to Passion (Rajas).

 

(As written in Hinduism.co.za)