Bhagwad Gita - Post 177

Verse 9

Sattwam sukhe sanjayati

rajah karmani bhaarata;

Jnaanamaavritya tu tamah

pramaade sanjayatyuta.

Sattwa attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, shrouding knowledge, attaches to heedlessness only!

The predominating effect of sattwa guna or mode of goodness is that it instills in the jiva or embodied being the attraction for happiness even though the seeds of misery and sorrow are also inherent. 

So sattwa guna by such natural but strong attraction for happiness binds the jiva to material existence and raja guna the mode of passion binds one by the work and effort constantly undertaken to achieve such happiness and tama guna or mode of ignorance binds one to material existence by distorted delusions and perverted perceptions of knowledge even if heard from liberated beings. 

Tamas also manifests as neglecting the teachings of great liberated beings or by acting contrary to these teachings because such teachings differ from one’s personal understanding. 

The word uta means and so forth and indicates that tamas binds one as well to lethargy, listlessness and laziness.

When sattwa has the upper hand in us, we feel satisfied, contented, relieved, and happy. 

Rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata:

When rajas is preponderating, we feel like getting up and doing this work and that work, and never want to sit quiet. This is what rajas does. 

Jjñānam āvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde saṁjayatyuta:

When tamas is predominating, we have no idea as to what to do and what not to do. 

There is confusion about the pros and cons of things. There is no proper judgment as to the way any step has to be taken in a given direction; and even if some step is taken, it will be a wrong step and it will end in some fumbling and catastrophic conclusion. This is what tamas does. 

Sattwa leads to happiness and satisfaction, rajas to intense activity, and tamas to ignorance and inability to decide what is proper and what is improper.

Verse 10

Rajastamashchaabhibhooya

Sattwam bhavati bhaarata;

Rajah Sattwam tamashchaiva

tamah Sattwam rajastathaa.

Now Sattwa prevails, O Arjuna, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; now Rajas, having overpowered Sattwa and Tamas; and now Tamas, having overpowered Sattwa and Rajas!

Now Lord Krishna explains the relationship and interaction between the three gunas which are sattwa guna or the mode of goodness, raja guna or the mode of passion and tama guna or the mode of ignorance. All three gunas inexplicably locked to all jivas or embodied beings throughout material existence.

No particular guna can be operating always in any person. They have a cyclic movement, as it were. Partly due to their fickleness and partly due to some karmas that a person has done in a previous birth, certain gunas operate for a shorter period or a longer period; but no guna can operate continuously throughout the life of a person. There is a coming and going of the gunas. 

When sattwa rises up into action, it suppresses rajas and tamas for the time being.

When rajas rises into action, it suppresses sattwa and tamas.

When tamas is predominant, it suppresses rajas and sattwa.

It does not mean that the suppressed qualities are destroyed. They are only made inoperative for the time being on account of the vehemence of the activity of a particular guna. 

Love.