buddher bhedam dhriteh caiva gunatas tri-vidham srinu procyamanam asesena prithaktvena dhananjaya
Krishna now invites Arjuna to hear the threefold division of intellect and steadiness according to the gunas, which he will explain completely and separately. This systematic teaching on buddhi and dhriti is essential for discernment and discipline.
- •Intellect and steadiness are each threefold according to the three gunas
- •Systematic understanding of gunic qualities is essential for self-knowledge
- •Krishna's thorough analysis helps Arjuna discern the quality of his own inner faculties
pravrittim ca nivrittim ca karyakaryec bhayabhaye bandham moksam ca ya vetti buddhi sa partha sattviki
The intellect that knows what is to be done and what is not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what leads to bondage and what leads to liberation — that intellect is sattvic, O Arjuna.
- •Sattvic intellect clearly discerns right action from wrong action
- •It distinguishes between what should be feared and what should not be feared
- •Knowing the path to liberation versus bondage is the crown of sattvic intelligence
yaya dharmam adharmam ca karyam cakaryam eva ca ayathavat prajanati buddhi sa partha rajasi
The intellect that incorrectly understands righteousness and unrighteousness, and what should be done and what should not be done — that intellect is rajasic, O Arjuna. Rajasic understanding is distorted by passion and self-interest.
- •Rajasic intellect confuses dharma with adharma due to passion and bias
- •Incorrect perception of right and wrong action is a hallmark of rajas
- •Self-interest corrupts the discriminative faculty and produces erroneous judgment
adharmam dharmam iti ya manyate tamasavritha sarvarthan viparitams ca buddhi sa partha tamasi
That intellect which, enveloped in darkness, regards unrighteousness as righteousness and sees all things in a perverted way — that intellect is tamasic, O Arjuna. Tamas inverts the understanding and makes darkness appear as light.
- •Tamasic intellect mistakes adharma for dharma due to deep delusion
- •Tamas inverts perception, presenting all values in a distorted, upside-down manner
- •This is the most dangerous form of intellectual impairment — confident wrongness