The “understanding” of the passionate (Rajasic) comes to judge the righteous (Dharma) and the unrighteous (Adharma), what is to be done and what is not to be done, in a slightly perverted manner (Ayathaavat). Such a Rajasic “understanding” cannot reach right judgements, because it is invariably coloured by its own preconceived notions and powerful likes and dislikes.

WHAT IS TAMASIC “UNDERSTANDING”?

O Partha, sa, that; buddhih, intellect; is rajasi, born of rajas; yaya, with which; prajanati, one understands; ayathavat, wrongly, not truly, not by discerning it from all points of view; dharmam, virtue, as prescribed by the scritpures; and adharmam, vice, what is prohibited by them; [By dharma and adharma are implied the seen and the unseen results of actions as revealed by the scriptures; karya and akarya respectively refer to the actual doing of what ought to be done and the not doing of what ought not to be done.] ca eva, as also; karyam, what ought to be done; and akaryam, what ought not to be done-those very ‘duty’ and ‘what is not duty’ as stated earlier.