SB 01.02.23 sattvam rajas tama iti prakrter gunas tair... cited

Expressions researched:
"sattvam rajas tama iti prakrter gunas tair" |"sreyamsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nrnam syuh" |"sthity-adaye hari-virinci-hareti samjnah" |"yuktah parah purusa eka ihasya dhatte"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.2.23, Translation and Purport:

The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Viṣṇu, the form of the quality of goodness.

That Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, by His plenary parts, should be rendered devotional service, as explained above, is confirmed by this statement. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and all His plenary parts are viṣṇu-tattva, or the Lordship of Godhead. From Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the next manifestation is Baladeva. From Baladeva is Saṅkarṣaṇa, from Saṅkarṣaṇa is Nārāyaṇa, from Nārāyaṇa there is the second Saṅkarṣaṇa, and from this Saṅkarṣaṇa the Viṣṇu puruṣa-avatāras. The Viṣṇu or the Deity of the quality of goodness in the material world is the puruṣa-avatāra known as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu or Paramātmā. Brahmā is the deity of rajas (passion), and Śiva of ignorance. They are the three departmental heads of the three qualities of this material world. The creation is made possible by Brahma's quality of passion and his endeavor, it is maintained by the goodness of Viṣṇu, and when it requires to be destroyed, Lord Śiva does it by the tāṇḍava-nṛtya. The materialists and the foolish human beings worship Brahmā and Śiva respectively. But the pure transcendentalists worship the form of goodness, Viṣṇu, in His various forms. Viṣṇu is manifested by His millions and billions of integrated forms and separated forms. The integrated forms are called Godhead, and the separated forms are called the living entities or the jīvas. Both the jīvas and Godhead have their original spiritual forms. Jīvas are sometimes subjected to the control of material energy, but the Viṣṇu forms are always controllers of this energy. When Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead, appears in the material world, He comes to deliver the conditioned living beings who are under the material energy. Such living beings appear in the material world with intentions of being lords, and thus they become entrapped by the three modes of nature. As such, the living entities have to change their material coverings for undergoing different terms of imprisonment. The prison house of the material world is created by Brahmā under instruction of the Personality of Godhead, and at the conclusion of a kalpa the whole thing is destroyed by Śiva. But as far as maintenance of the prison house is concerned, it is done by Viṣṇu, as much as the state prison house is maintained by the state. Anyone, therefore, who wishes to get out of this prison house of material existence, which is full of miseries like repetition of birth, death, disease and old age, must please Lord Viṣṇu for such liberation. Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped by devotional service only, and if anyone has to continue prison life in the material world, he may ask for relative facilities for temporary relief from the different demigods like Śiva, Brahmā, Indra and Varuṇa. No demigod, however, can release the imprisoned living being from the conditioned life of material existence. This can be done only by Viṣṇu. Therefore, the ultimate benefit may be derived from Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair

yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte

sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ

śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ

(SB 1.2.23)

Translation: "The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction, He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Viṣṇu, the form of the quality of goodness."

Prabhupāda: So material world means the three qualities. Material world is going on under three energetic energies: sattva, rajas, tamas. We have explained several times, we see varieties of living entities, varieties of trees, varieties of everything. Anywhere you go, you simply find varieties. Some of them you like, some of them you do not like. So these varieties are due to these three material modes of nature, sattva, rajas, tamas.

So when creation has taken place, the things should be managed properly, so Kṛṣṇa Himself, He expands into three forms for management. One form is Lord Viṣṇu, one form is Lord Śiva and the other form is Lord Brahmā. Brahmā creates, Lord Viṣṇu maintains, and Lord Śiva destroys. Because in the material nature, you cannot have anything permanent. That is material nature. It is just like the flashlight. When you pass through roads and avenue, there are three colors-red, blue and yellow. They're passing through, always. Not that the blue is always existing, or red is always existing, or the yellow is always. Passing, simply. That is the nature, material nature. Here, everything is born. That is called sṛṣṭi, creation.

Everything is creation. That is our experience. Everything is created and it is maintained for some time. Just like my body, your body, is created. And it will be maintained for sometimes. But at the end, when the body is old, it will be destroyed. This is material nature. Some of the philosophers, they say there is no such thing, creation or destruction; everything is existing always. That we also accept. That everything is existing always means Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa... The creation is going through three stages. The creation taking place, it is being maintained for some time, and again it is destroyed. These things are going on. The same example: the lights, flashlights. They are coming and going. But the puller of the lights, behind the light, he is existing. Similarly, the creator is existing, but not the creation. Creation is coming into existence, is sustained, and again... But the creator is there. Aham evāsam agre. Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "Before creation I was there." Otherwise who will create? "Before creation I was there. While creation is maintained, I am there. And when it is destroyed, still I am there."

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Now the original person is Kṛṣṇa. Now, to maintain this creation, He expands Himself into three: hari, viriñci, hara. Hari means Viṣṇu, viriñci means Brahmā, and hara means Lord Śiva. Hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ. But, just like the Māyāvādī philosopher says that "Then, if Kṛṣṇa has become Hari, Viriñci and Hara, three, so I can worship anyone." No. That is hinted here: śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. But if you want your ultimate goal, then you take shelter of Viṣṇu—sattva-tanoḥ—not Śiva, not Brahmā. Here, clearly says. If you want... Because your conditioned life is due to your disobedience to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So unless you surrender unto Him, you again become obedient, there is no question of your goodness or your good or fortune. That is not possible. That is explained here. Śreyāṁsi, if you want... Śreyāṁsi means if you want really ultimate benefit of your life, then sattva-tanoḥ. Sattva-tanoḥ means Viṣṇu. You have to take shelter of the form of the Lord who is representing sattva-guṇa, goodness. Not the rajo-guṇa not the tamo-guṇa. If you take to rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, then tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19), then you will be influenced by two qualities, namely greediness and lust. That's all. You'll never come to your senses. You'll be carried away by these two modes of material nature. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore said, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese' Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. "My dear brother, you are being carried away by the waves of this material nature, two modes of material nature, and you are being harassed. Sometimes you are drowned, sometimes you are up."

So, jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśvās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. If you simply believe that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no more carrying out, no more carried away by these two things, lusty, lust and greediness. Therefore it is advised here that śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. Our ultimate benefit rests when you take shelter of the sattva-tanoḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair

yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte

sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ

śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ

(SB 1.2.23)

Translation: "The transcendental Lord is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Of these three, all living beings can derive ultimate benefit from Viṣṇu, the form of the quality of goodness."

Prabhupāda:

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair

yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte

sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ

śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ

The material creation, mahat-tattva... Sa īkṣata. As it is said in the Vedic literature, simply by glancing over the material nature and agitating the three modes of material nature, the whole creation comes out. This is an sum, sum and substance of material creation. Mahā-Viṣṇu is lying in the Causal Ocean, Kāraṇārṇava, and He is breathing, and from His breathing innumerable universes are coming out. And in each and every universe, Mahā-Viṣṇu, in His further expansion as Garbhodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu, He enters. That Garbhodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu, from His abdomen there is a lotus stem, and in that lotus flower Lord Brahmā is born. In this way, creation is made.

So actually, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are the principal directors of the three guṇas. Therefore Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are called guṇāvatāra. Lord Viṣṇu is in charge of sattva-guṇa activities. Therefore brāhmaṇa, the symbol of sattva-guṇa, they are Vaiṣṇavas. Formerly, in each and every home of a brāhmaṇa, there was Viṣṇu worship. A brāhmaṇa cannot worship any other demigods except Viṣṇu, because Viṣṇu is in the charge of the sattva-guṇa and brāhmaṇa is also in the sattva-guṇa. So Viṣṇu asya devatā. For this reason brāhmaṇa's another title is Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Or brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita.

So on account of the three guṇas, there are three types of Vedic literatures. Not directly śruti, but smṛti, the purāṇas, they are divided into three divisions: sāttvika-purāṇa, rājasika-purāṇa and tāmasika-purāṇa. Śiva Purāṇa, Devī Purāṇa, they are sāttvika, rājasika. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Śrīmad Bhāgavata Purāṇa, they are sāttvika-purāṇas. The whole scheme is that everyone, every living entity within this material world, they are infected. That we have discussed. The most inferior infection is the rajas-tamas. And the superior rajas, uh, sattva-guṇa, that is also infection, but it is less harmful, whereas the infection of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is very much embarrassing.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). The whole material world is going on, impelled by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Generally. Sattva-guṇa is very little. Especially in this age, practically there is no sattva-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa also, very little. Tamo-guṇa predominant. For this reason, śāstra says in this age most people are śūdras because there is scarcity of sattva-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇas' activities and kṣatriya, practically nil. There is no protector. Kṣatriya means one who protects from injury kṣata, kṣatriya, trāyate, one who protects people from being injured. Therefore the kṣatriya class, they were royal families, and the brāhmaṇas, they were meant for giving spiritual education. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. And the vaiśyas, they were meant for trading, agriculture and cow protection. As the kṣatriyas were interested, entrusted for protecting the citizens, similarly the vaiśyas were entrusted for protecting the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So now vaiśyas, they have got big, big factories, they can maintain big, big factories, but they cannot maintain a cow. That is the position. Similarly, Kṣatriyas, they have taken different occupational duties. Brāhmaṇas also, they have left their occupation. Only everyone has come to the platform of śūdras. Therefore it is very difficult to convince them about spiritual life. Mostly people are śūdras. Śūdras, less intelligent. They cannot understand. Mūḍha. Less intelligent means mūḍha. The symbol of less intelligence is ass, mūḍha. The ass... Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has described the karmīs as mūḍha because they work very hard. Although the necessity of life is very little, still they work very hard, day and night. The ass is the symbol because the ass eats only a morsel of grass, but for the washerman, he works so hard. So mūḍha. Because the people are mūḍhas, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa says,

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

(BG 7.15)

So the three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, that is going on since the creation. So here it is said, sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ. This, the same Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, has expanded Himself as Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. We are also expansions. Brahmā is also jīva-tattva. He's also like us, jīva-tattva. Lord Śiva is between viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. And Lord Viṣṇu is viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva, via media, and jīva-tattva. So they are all expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So for controlling these three guṇas they have taken charge. Viṣṇu is in charge of sattva-guṇa, and Brahmā is in charge of rajo-guṇa and Lord Śiva is in charge of tamo-guṇa. So Lord, Lord Brahmā creates, Lord Viṣṇu maintains and Lord Śiva destroys. These three things are going on. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. So śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ.

Now, for our..., solving our problems... What is our problems? That we do not know. There is a great problem. The problem is repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. This is the problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Those who are intelligent, they will..., they will see that these are the real problems. But they do not care. Mṛtyu, they think, "All right, it is coming naturally. Let us die." But they do not know, after death, where he's going? "Never mind. I shall forget." People say like that. In Western countries, when I speak, these questions are raised and they are so callous, they say, "Never mind. Next time, if I become a dog, what is the harm? I'll forget that I was a man." Plainly they say. So many people have gone so much down that they cannot understand that low-grade life is not desirable. High grade life is desirable. They do not make any distinction. In whatever life it may be, if there is sufficient arrangement for eating, sleeping, mating, then they are happy. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. By God's grace, nature has sufficiently given opportunity for enjoying these things: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Just like these monkeys, they have got enough facilities for eating, sleeping, mating, especially mating, they have got very good facility. Beginning from the morning, they are going on in sex matters. And defending also, they have got nails and teeth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So these things, śāstra says, viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. These necessities of life, they can be obtained in any form of life. There is no scarcity. But the human form of life, if it is wasted only for these facilities of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then what is the credit of getting a human form of life? The śāstra therefore says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. In human form of life one should try to achieve that perfection which was not obtained in previous lives after wandering heaven and hell and all species of life. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ means upwards and downwards. And we are wandering: sometimes downwards, sometimes outwards, sometimes poor, sometimes rich, sometimes man, sometimes dog, sometimes tree, sometimes demigod. In this way, we are wandering. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are wandering in this way in different species of life, in different planets, but somehow or other, if one is fortunate, he comes in contact with a devotee by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).

Here it is, also, it is said, śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. If we want our ultimate goal, ultimate success, then we should accept the sattva-guṇa form of the Lord. The rajo-guṇa form and tamo-guṇa form are there, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. But śreyāṁsi, if we want our real benefit of life, then it is better to take shelter of the form of sattva-guṇa. That will be explained in the next verse: pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ. Just like earth, from the earth the tree grows. So tree grows means wood. Now, if you ignite the wood, first of all there is smoke, then there is fire. So my necessity is fire, neither the wood, nor the earth, nor the smoke. Similarly, for getting out of these material clutches one has to take shelter of Viṣṇu—not of Lord Brahmā nor Lord Śiva. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya-devatāḥ means Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā and others. There are many, thirty-three crores of different demigods. Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, so many. So the chief of them is Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is therefore called Mahādeva. He is above all these demigods. And Lord Śi... Brahmā is called pitāmaha. Pitāmaha means he's the father of all demigods. He's the father of Lord Śiva also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So this gradual process of evolution means one must come to the platform of understanding Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am..., I am spirit soul, and I am part and parcel of the Supreme Soul." This understanding one must come. So for that understanding one has to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guṇa. If one remains in the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, as we have explained, then we shall be entangled in this material world. We may get a different types of body, even if we get the body of demigods or European body, American body, as they are understood, very advanced. So not only European, American, but there are other improved condition of life in higher planetary system. They're all made of rajo-guṇa. Rajas-tamas. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). Because everywhere you'll find the prominence of greediness and lust, everywhere. Even in the heavenly planet, the King of Heaven, he's very, very, very much lusty. There are so many instances. He's very much fond of sex life, Indra.

So this will not help us. We must come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, goodness, the brahminical stage. Then our life, our evolutionary process, will be successful. Tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam. Gradually, evolutionary process... I think in Darwin's theory there is no such conception of coming to the point of sattva-guṇa, goodness. They do not know even what it is, sattva-guṇa. Simply they are studying the animal bones. That's all. But actually perfection of evolutionary process is to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, brahminical stage. In other words, to become a brāhmaṇa is the topmost platform of advancement of civilization. Brahminical culture is the perfect advancement of civilization. That is mentioned here.

So if one wants to come to that platform, then one has to accept the form of Viṣṇu. As we have already explained in the previous verse: śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. Sattva-tanoḥ. Viṣṇu is the form of sattva-guṇa, Brahmā is the form of rajo-guṇa, and Śiva, Lord Śiva, is the form of tamo-guṇa. So actually, if we want our perfection of life, we'll not be very much benefitted by taking shelter of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā or any other demigod. Other demigods, they're all subordinate to Lord Brahmā and Śiva. All demigods are supposed... Even great saintly ṛṣis, they are also sons of Brahmā. Rajo-guṇa. Lord Śiva is also one of the sons of Brahmā. So either to accept other demigods or even Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā will not help us, because we have to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. For that purpose sattva-tanoḥ... Sattva-tanu means Viṣṇu. So we have to take shelter of Viṣṇu. In the Vedas, in the Ṛg Veda it is said, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Sūrayaḥ, those who are advanced in civilization, sūrayaḥ... Sura and asura. Asura means materialistic person, atheistic person, interested in sense gratification. That is called asura, na sura. And sura means interested in advancement of spiritual life. That is called sura. So for the asuras, the life is different, but for the suras, their aim is: tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Their aim of perfection is Viṣṇu. Paramaṁ padam: the Supreme Abode of Viṣṇu, or the Vaikuṇṭhaloka.