Chapter XVIII · Śloka 22
यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् ।
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
yat tu kṛtsna-vad ekasmin kārye saktam ahaitukam |
atattvārthavad alpaṃ ca tat tāmasam udāhṛtam ||
atattvārthavad alpaṃ ca tat tāmasam udāhṛtam ||
But that which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without rational basis, not concerned with truth, and trivial — that is called tāmasika.
Tāmasika knowledge is narrow, irrational, and self-enclosed — treating a limited object or belief as absolute. It forecloses inquiry and binds the mind in the darkest form of ignorance.