Descriptions of Rajasic, Sattvic and Tamasic Guna

Guna theory is a theory of psychological energies or forces that determine individual propensities and dispositions. Gunas can be understood as attitudes with which mind functions or as influences under which the thoughts function. Guna theory provides the explanation for the innumerable and distinctive nature of people in the world.

Knowledge arises from Sattva. Sattva attaches itself to happiness and to the thrills of the creative moments in life. A scientist, an artist, a poet will not even like to come down to the passionate world. Sattvic individuals are duty-oriented.

Rajas attaches to action and its fruits. Rajas give rise to greed. Tamas attaches one to lack of care and recklessness. Negligence, delusion and ignorance arise from Tamas. Rajasic and Tamasic individuals are skills and rights oriented.

These three Gunas, in different proportions, influence the mental and the intellectual caliber of every individual and these influences provide the distinct flavor in each personality. All three are always present in every one, but from person to person their proportion slightly differs; hence the distinct aroma in the character, conduct and behavior of each individual.

There is a beautiful verse in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3:38) describing the nature of Gunas.

“Dhumenaavriyate vahnirryathaadarsho malen cha

yatholbenaavrito garbhastathaa teneddamaavritam”

“As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is covered by the womb, so is THIS covered by it.”

Explanation

Sattvic Guna is like fire covered by smoke. A small wind blows away the smoke revealing the fire hidden.

Rajasic Guna is like the dust on the mirror. One has to make vigorous efforts to remove this dust to see the image clearly.

The nature of Tamasic Gunas resembles that of the embryo in the womb. The womb covers the embryo. You don’t know what is hidden beneath it and it will take its own time and effort to mature.

Example From daily life

All three types of Gunas co-exist in every individual. We find their distinct individual qualities manifesting themselves during different parts of the day.

In the early hours of the day we are relatively calm and composed. Our capacity to understand is optimum. This is Sattva Guna. It represents the expected Guna of an individual in the morning. Sattvic means 'good'. We feel uplifted and inspired, generally.

We are relatively active during the course of the day. This period is Rajasic and we are ‘Passionate’ about our actions.

At the close of the day the body is tired and mind is disturbed due to events of the day. We just want to watch TV, take rest, sleep and relax. Tamas means darkness. Tamasic signifies inactivity.

Characteristics of a Sattvic Person

Under the Sattvic influence the mind is steady, free from agitations and inertia. Mind experiences peace and happiness, better understanding and intellectual comprehension. It describes the limits of ‘goodness’ though gives freedom from agitation.

Thus, whenever a given mind is in an inspiring and creative mood it is capable of vast knowing and deep understanding. A true scientist, working self-dedicatedly in his laboratory; a painter working at his canvas; martyrs facing cruel persecution, politician suffering long years in jail for standing up to their convictions are examples of individuals inspired by their creative mind.

Defining Traits:

• Works in harmony with the environment
• Creativeness is the key feature of Sattvic people.
• Hardworking and Conscientious, Efficient and Systematic, Respect for others, Calmness with quiet confidence, Dependable - Living in the present – ready for whatever comes.
• Your ‘will’ is controlling your ‘desires’. (Will is the steering and brake and the desire is the accelerator).

Life is like “driving the car with power steering, power brakes”.

Characteristics of a Rajasic Person

When Rajas influence dominates, there is desire for acquisition of things and attachment to things acquired already. The person normally remains in a stable equilibrium. But when it looks at an object of desire the equilibrium is disturbed and the mind is filled with ‘passion’ expressing in a million different urges, desires, emotions and feelings.

Such an individual can never keep quite but must necessarily act on endlessly earning and spending, racing and procuring, procreating and protecting, and thirsting for more and more. He is filled with joys of his success and involved in the sorrows of his failures.

Defining Traits

• One who acts – Energetic, restless and aggressive
  
• One who organizes the people to work together
  
• Strength is the key feature of Rajasic people
  
• Initiative and Creativity, Energetic Doer, Takes charge of events, Diversified interests, Love to co-ordinate and supervise people, A control freak.
  
• Risk burning out, Hypersensitive, Tendency for emotional outburst or withdrawn and depressed.
• Salient Characteristics: Hurry and Worry
• Often looked upon as an achiever “They are like steamrollers, rolling relentlessly over any obstacle in their way.”

Life is like “driving the car with no brakes”

Characteristics of a Tamasic Person

Tamas is born of ‘Ignorance’. Under this influence man’s intellectual capacity to discriminate between the right and wrong gets affected.

A Tamasic person focuses all his interest and attention upon himself/herself. All his/her actions and perceptions, emotions and thoughts are directed only to the welfare of himself/herself. But the world is not designed to cater to any particular individual. As a result these demands remain unfulfilled. The mind is never at rest. It is always discontented and disturbed. There is no consistency of purpose, brilliance of thought, tenderness of emotion or nobility of action.

Defining Traits:

• Loves to work…Work hard
• Doing labor and physical work are the key features of Tamasic people.
  
• Inertia – when s/he loses interest in the activity
  
• Theoretical; More concerned with what is going on in your head than what is happening around;
• Unusual perspective.
  
• Frustrated when faced with facts and details, Stressed by invasion of personal space.
  
• “I don’t care what happens to anybody, including myself”.

Life is like “driving the car with brakes on”.

Comparing Various Attributes of Gunas

Various attributes of Rajasic, Sattvic and Tamasic Guna can be compared. These comparisons are given in Table1, Table 2 and Table 3.

Table 1: Comparing the general personality, nature

and their worldview

Attributes	Rajasic	Sattvic	Tamasic
Agent/Actor Personality	Passionate. Many desires, and attachments, Never satisfied with what he gains;	Free from attachments to objects, non-egoistic, firm, enthusiastic.	Impulsive, arrogant, and inability to see any other point of view; over-indulgence in sense enjoyment.
Nature	Authoritative. Commercial temper. A colored judgment of the ethical and unethical, what is to be done and what is not to be done.	Noble. Calm. Full of love and affection. Discrimination between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done	Complaining of things around him. Wrong judgment of ethical and unethical actions. (Justifying ethical to be unethical and vice-versa).
Worldview	Recognizes the separateness and distinctions among people and divides them into different classes, castes, creeds, races, nationalities etc.	Recognizes the truth of existence. Perceives the oneness underlying the universe.	Fanatic in their beliefs, devotion, views and values in life without recognizing the cause and effect. Views the world as if it exists for him/her alone, with concept of self-importance.

Table 2: Comparing the way of action, their motive and reaction to results of action

Attributes	Rajasic	Sattvic	Tamasic
Action	Work done to fulfill desires, under tension and strain, anxiety and fear.. Ex. Actions of Political leaders, Social workers, industrialists, over anxious parents/managers, fanatic preachers.	Work undertaken for work’s own sake, inspired work, without any anxiety for results.	Work done without regard for loss of power or vitality, loss or injury to others; Ex. Smoking, drinking, gambling, corruption
Motive Force of Work	Achievement, gain, To succeed at any cost.	Work done for the joy of doing it.	Misconception of the goal; Work done without any attention to their own ability.
Result of Actions	Full of delight, grief worries and sorrows. Disputes, Conflicts; Temporary enjoyment of fruits of action	Unaffected by success or failure	Pleasure of senses. Affirmation of wrong values and false ideals. Bad habits

Table 3: Comparing the typical strength of each type of Guna

Attributes	Rajasic	Sattvic	Tamasic
Strength	Constancy of pursuit of duty, wealth and pleasure to enjoy the fruits of action	Constancy of steady control over one’s mind, sense organs and their activities, through single-minded attention, and faithful concentration	Skilled worker. A good critic. Sensuous.