Conversion of Sattva, Rajas, Tamas

Question

I've read in one of the Upanishads that at the "beginning" of the universe sattva, rajas and tamas were in balance. But for some unknown reason the balance was disturbed and this is cause of the universe.

Unfortunately I don't remember which one - It must be described somewhere in the Upanishads or Vedas how this sattva-rajas-tamas are interconvertible? And if so where?

Answer 1

I think you are talking about 4th Prapathaka of Maitrayanai Upanishad. Maitrayania Upanishad is one of the important Upanishad.

Maitrayania Upanishad 4th Prapathaka states:

It was all Tamas – then impelled by the Supreme, it became uneven –Rajas compelled, becomes uneven. This all came out of Sattva, the conscious being, in every person, indicated by thought, determination
and conceit. Prajapati spoke about it. The first bodies are Brahma etc. He is the aspects of Tamas, Rudra of Sattva. Vishnu became three-fold, eight-fold etc., unlimited and moves among creatures – the support of all creatures and their lord, inside and outside them.

One doesn't need to get surprised by seeing that it is saying it was Tamasa in the beginning. In the present situation, when people see the word Tamasa it is associated in bad light. However this is not true. RigVeda 10.129 is Nasadiya Sukta, which is also called "Hymn of Creation". In it's third verse it states:

तम आसीत्तमसा गूहळमग्रे प्रकेतं सलिलं सर्वाऽइदम् |
तुच्छ्येनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत्तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम् ॥३॥

Tamas (Darkness) there was: at first concealed in tamas (darkness) this All was indiscriminated chaos. All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.

Taittariya Aranyaka YajurVeda 10th Prapathaka and Svetasvatara Upanishad 4.5 state:

अजामेकां लोहितशुक्लकृष्णां बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां सरूपाः ।
अजो ह्येको जुषमाणोऽनुशेते जहात्येनां भुक्तभोगामजोऽन्यः ॥ ५॥

There is one unborn prakriti−red, white and black−which gives birth to many creatures like itself. An unborn individual soul becomes attached to it and enjoys it, while another unborn individual soul leaves it after his enjoyment is completed."

Here, the terms Red, White and Black are intrepreted as three qualities of Nature. Ie. Satva, Rajas and Tamasa.

And as quoted in earlier "It was all Tamas – then impelled by the Supreme, it became uneven..." So, it is not unknown cause. It is due to desire of Supreme Tatwa get interconverted.

Answer 2

There cannot be any other Material and/or efficient cause for the universe other than Bramhan, so there is no question of Universe being created by Guna imbalance.

Shri Krishna on origin of Gunas Bhagwad Gita Chapter 7 verse 12

ये चैव सात्विका भावा रजस्तमष्च ये।

मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वम् तेषु ते मयि॥७.१२॥

Ye chaiva saattvikaa bhaavaa raajasaastaamasaashcha ye;

Matta eveti taanviddhi na twaham teshu te mayi.

Meaning:

Know that all those states of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas have their origin in Me alone. But I am not in them; they are in Me.

Since Bramhan is Eternal so is Prakriti Pradhana as Prkriti and Jivas reside in Bramhan.

Gita Bhasya by Adi Shankracharya

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Every Vedanta Acharya for E.g Adi Shankaracharya, Bhagwad Ramanujachrya agree on this point, that Bramhan is material as well as Efficient cause of the universe.

I will from quote Adi Shankaracharya's commentary and then Bhagwad Ramanujacharya's commentary on BramhSutra by Bhagwan VedVyasa to justify my point.

1) Adi Shankaracharya Bhasya

(Brahman is that) from which the origin, &c. (i.e. the origin, subsistence, and dissolution) of this (world proceed).

The term, &c. implies subsistence and re-absorption. That the origin is mentioned first (of the three) depends on the declaration of Scripture as well as on the natural development of a substance. Scripture declares the order of succession of origin, subsistence, and dissolution in the passage, Taittiriya. Up. III, I, 'From whence these beings are born,' &c. And with regard to the second reason stated, it is known that a substrate of qualities can subsist and be dissolved only after it has entered, through origination, on the state of existence.

You can read it here

2) Bhagwad Ramanujacharya's Sri Bhasya

(Brahman is that) from which the origin, &c., of this (world proceed).

The expression 'the origin', &c., means 'creation, subsistence, and re-absorption'. The 'this' (in 'of this') denotes this entire world with its manifold wonderful arrangements, not to be fathomed by thought, and comprising within itself the aggregate of living souls from Brahmâ down to blades of grass, all of which experience the fruits (of their former actions) in definite places and at definite times.

'That from which,' i.e. that highest Person who is the ruler of all; whose nature is antagonistic to all evil; whose purposes come true; who possesses infinite auspicious qualities, such as knowledge, blessedness, and so on; who is omniscient, omnipotent, supremely merciful; from whom the creation, subsistence, and reabsorption of this world proceed--he is Brahman: such is the meaning of the Sûtra.

The definition here given of Brahman is founded on the text Taitt. Up. III, 1, 'Bhrigu Vâruni went to his father Varuna, saying, Sir, teach me Brahman', &c., up to 'That from which these beings are born, that by which when born they live, that into which they enter at their death, try to know that: that is Brahman.'

Sri Bhasya

Taittiriya Upanishad III,1

That from whence these beings are born, that by which, when born, they live, that into which they enter at their death, try to know that. That is Brahman.