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1128
GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् । रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥ १६॥ सत्त्वात्संजायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च । प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ॥१७॥ ऊर्ध्व गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥१८॥ constituent is preponderant, it takes birth among those, who are engrossed in Action; and dying when there is preponderance of the tamas constituent, it takes birth in ignorant species, (such as, birds, beasts, etc.). (16) It is said that the result of virtuous Action is sinless and sättvika; but the result of rājasa Action is pain, and the result of tāmasa Action is ignorance. (17) Whereas Knowledge arises from the sattva constituent, avarice springs from the rajas constituent, and not only forgetfulness of duty and .confusion, but even Ignorance arises from the tamas constituent. (18) The sättvika beings reach superior spheres, (that is, heaven, etc.), the râjasa beings remain in the middle (that is, human spheres), and the támasa, who have inferior qualities and inclinations, go to lower spheres.
[ It has been stated even in the Sámkhya Kārikā, that the person actuated by the sattva constituent obtains heaven, because he is religious-minded and performs good actions ; and that the one actuated by the tamas constituent goes to lower spheres, because he performs unrighteous actions. ( Sām. Kā. 44). Similarly, the 18th stanza appears literally in the Anugitā in the description of the three constituents (Ma. Bhā. Ašva. 39, 10; and Manu. 12. 40). But, even if a man may attain heaven by sättvika Action, yet, he does not thereby attain the highest goal of manhood, since heaven is not permanent. In order to obtain this highest goal of manhood, or Release, the man must, according to the Samkhya doctrine, not only have a completely sättvika nature, but also acquire the knowledge that Prakrti is a different thing from the Purusa. This is what the
