Chapter XIV · Śloka 9
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत ।
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत ॥
sattvaṃ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata |
jñānam āvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta ||
jñānam āvṛtya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta ||
Sattva attaches one to happiness, rajas to action, O Bhārata; but tamas, veiling knowledge, attaches one to negligence.
Each guṇa pulls in its characteristic direction: sattva toward the comfort of well-being, rajas toward ceaseless doing, and tamas toward inertia — each a different kind of binding.