At this level of our discussion, any intelligent student should wonder whether these gunas produce their effects, or act, at different times, each by turn. If they act, all at one time, do they act in perfect concord, or in mutual discord? Naturally, the Lord, in His Divine Song, anticipates this doubt, and answers it in this stanza. He explains how these gunas act at different times — each one of them becoming prominent and powerful for the time being.

SATTWA RISES — The stanza clearly shows that at any given moment, a human personality, if analysed, can be found to work under the influence of one predominating guna, wherein the other two gunas are not totally absent, but are only of secondary importance. When we say that one is under the influence of Sattwa, it means that Rajas and Tamas in him are, at that given moment, not quite prominent to contribute enough of their particular nature.

Thus, when Sattwa predominates over Rajas and Tamas, it produces, in that bosom, at that time, its own nature of happiness and knowledge.

When Rajas predominates over Sattwa and Tamas, it expresses its own nature of passions and desires, attachments and actions.

When Tamas predominates over Sattwa and Rajas, it produces its own effects of shrouding knowledge and making the personality heedless of its nobler duties.

BUT HOW ARE WE TO KNOW WHEN A PARTICULAR ‘GUNA’IS PREDOMINATING OVER THE OTHER ‘GUNAS’?

O scion of the Bharata dynasty, sattva bhavati, increases, comes into being; abhibhuya, by subduing both rajas and tamas. When sattva increases, then, coming to its own, it produces its own effects-knowledge, happiness, etc. Similarly, when the quality of rajas increases by overpowering both sattva and tamas, then it produces its own effects-activity and hankering. When the quality called tamas increases by similarly dominating over sattva and rajas, it then produces its own effects-obscuring of knowledge, etc. When any quality preponderates, then what is its indication? This is being answered: