Bhagavad Gita BG 14.17
Chapter 14, Verse 17 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च । प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च ॥
sattvat sanjayate jnanam rajaso lobha eva ca pramada-mohau tamaso bhavato 'jnanam eva ca
Meaning
From sattva arises knowledge; from rajas, greed alone; and from tamas arise negligence (pramada), delusion (moha), and ignorance (ajnana).
Understanding
The inner products of each guna: sattvat sanjayate jnanam (from sattva arises jnana — knowledge, clarity, discrimination, wisdom). Rajaso lobhah (from rajas arises lobha = greed — the defining product of rajas is the wanting-more). Pramada-mohau tamaso bhavato 'jnanam ca (from tamas: pramada = negligence, moha = delusion, and ajnana = ignorance). Sattva: produces the means of liberation (knowledge). Rajas: produces the driver of continued bondage (greed). Tamas: produces the deepest veiling (negligence + delusion + ignorance — three layers of not-knowing). This verse maps the inner psychic products: cultivation of sattva = cultivation of jnana.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सञ्जायते | sanjayate | arises from, is born from, comes into being |
| लोभः | lobhah | greed, insatiable wanting |
| प्रमाद | pramada | negligence, heedlessness |
| मोहौ | mohau | delusion (dual: pramada AND moha) |
| सत्त्वात् | sattvāt | from goodness |
| सञ्जायते | sañjāyate | is born, arises |
| ज्ञानम् | jñānam | knowledge |
| रजसः | rajasaḥ | from passion |
| लोभः | lobhaḥ | greed |
| एव | eva ca | and indeed |
| प्रमाद-मोहौ | pramāda-mohau | negligence and delusion |
| तमसः | tamasaḥ | from ignorance |
| भवतः | bhavataḥ | arise |
| अज्ञानम् | ajñānam | ignorance |
| एव | eva ca | and indeed |
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