Gita 14.16
Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga
कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् | रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ||१६||
karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalam | rajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam ||16||
In essence: Sattvic action yields pure results; rajasic action yields suffering; tamasic action yields ignorance.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Wait - I know many successful people who worked hard (rajas) and seem happy. How is their fruit suffering?"
Guru: "Look closer. Are they at peace, or driven? Can they stop and rest contentedly, or must they always pursue the next thing? The suffering of rajas isn't obvious failure; it's the inability to be satisfied. Achievement brings temporary pleasure but not lasting peace."
Sadhak: "But sattvic action can also succeed in the world, right?"
Guru: "Yes, and the difference is in the internal state. The sattvic achiever can enjoy success without clinging to it. They're not dependent on outcomes for well-being. Win or lose, they remain relatively peaceful. That purity (nirmalam) of internal result is what distinguishes sattvic success."
Sadhak: "And tamasic action deepens ignorance? So scrolling my phone isn't just wasting time?"
Guru: "Correct. Every tamasic action reinforces the fog. It's not neutral time-passing; it's active conditioning toward dullness. This is why tamas is so insidious - it doesn't feel harmful in the moment, but it erodes capacity for clarity. The fruit is more ignorance, less ability to recognize the problem."
Sadhak: "That's terrifying. Small tamasic habits compound?"
Guru: "Yes - but so do small sattvic habits. Every moment's choice tips the balance. Recognizing this is the first step to changing the pattern."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before beginning activities, set intention for sattvic action - clear, focused, unattached to outcomes. Notice what guna drives your first actions. Are you starting from peace (sattva), anxiety (rajas), or avoidance (tamas)? The seed quality affects the harvest.
At midday, assess: what fruits are emerging from morning's actions? Do you feel clear and pure (sattvic fruit), agitated and wanting (rajasic fruit), or foggy and dull (tamasic fruit)? This real-time feedback helps adjust course before more karma accumulates.
Review the day's fruits. Not external results but internal states produced by actions. What actions left you peaceful? Which created suffering or dullness? This reflection sharpens discrimination, helping you choose more sattvic actions tomorrow.