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•What is Rajas guna?

•Is it the harmony between sattva and tamas? (according to my interpretation)

•Or does it mean something else and broad?

Stewart Gilligan Griffin
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1 Answers1

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What does Rajas mean?

It is an independent guna of Prakriti.

From the Manusmriti:

Know Sattva, Rajas and Tamas to be the three qualities of the Self, by means of which the Great One completely pervades all these beings.—(24)

Whichsoever of these qualities wholly predominates in a body, it makes the owner of that body abound in that quality.—(25)

‘Sattva’ has been declared to be Knowledge, ‘Tamas,’ to be Ignorance, and ‘Rajas,’ to be Love and Hate;—such is the nature of these, all-pervading and interpenetrating all beings.—(26)

What is mixed with pain and brings unhappiness to the Soul,—know that to be ‘Rajas,’ imperceptible and constantly attracting embodied beings.—(28)

Proneness to undertake work, impatience, commission of improper acts, constant addiction to sensual objects are the characteristics of the quality of ‘Rajas.’—(32)

When, by a certain act, the man desires great fame in this world, and does not mind failure—this should be understood to partake of the quality of ‘Rajas.’—(36)

Pleasure is the distinguishing feature of ‘Tamas,’ ‘Wealth’ is described to be that of ‘Rajas,’ and ‘Spiritual Merit’ is the distinguishing feature of ‘Sattva,’—each succeeding one of these being superior to the preceding.—(38)

Ikshvaku
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  • So isn't Rajas the harmony between Sattva and Tamas? Sattva = good, Rajas = neutral, Tamas= evil... – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 02 '19 at 15:06
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin I wouldn't say it's the harmony between sattva and tamas, but Rajas is indeed neutral, whereas sattva is good and tamas is bad. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 16:18
  • I think rajas is also evil to some extent. I read in devi bhagvata puran that the fruit of satvik puja is always sweet , and that of rajsik puja (that done with the intent of getting reward) is misery and of tamsic pooja ,it is always doom. And rajsik person has desires. Don't you think desires also lead to evil? – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 02 '19 at 16:26
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin Yes, rajas can and does lead to evil, and it should be avoided, but in relation to sattva and tamas, rajas is in the middle. Sattva always leads to happiness, rajas to happiness and misery, whereas tamas always leads to sorrow. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 16:28
  • so basically nothing is morally neutral, there is no grey area when it comes to spiritual things. It's just good or evil. – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 02 '19 at 16:31
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin Well, sattva leads to moksha, rajas leads to material prosperity, whereas tamas leads to destruction/decay. So rajas isn't so bad since it leads to material prosperity. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 16:39
  • Think of it this way. A Rajsic person would be envious. So wouldn't he stoop to any level to fulfil his materialistic desires? He won't even mind committing a sin ,such as theft or murder or even worse . to achieve his desires – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 02 '19 at 16:46
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin Yes, you are right. Rajas and tamas lead to hell, whereas sattva leads to liberation. In fact, according to Sri Vaishnavas, when souls get moksha and go to Vaikunta, they get shuddha sattva bodies; bodies that are made only of shuddha sattva matter. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 16:51
  • Well if Rajas is selfish guna. I'd relate tamsic guna to antisocial behavior. People whose tamsic guna is dominant. They neither live nor let live. Now I got it right. Didn't I? – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 02 '19 at 16:57
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin Yes that's right. People who are mainly tamasic are cruel, violent, and enjoy tormenting others. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 16:58
  • @StewartGilliganGriffin "So wouldn't he stoop to any level to fulfil his materialistic desires? He won't even mind committing a sin ,such as theft or murder or even worse . to achieve his desires" - Yes this is exactly right. A Rajas-dominant person is completely controlled by his materialistic and selfish desires, and will do whatever it takes to achieve them. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 17:01
  • All 3 are good as long as are maintained equal ratio. – TheLittleNaruto Feb 02 '19 at 17:05
  • @TheLittleNaruto That's wrong. You should be as Sattvic as possible. Rajas and Tamas are bad. – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 17:06
  • @Ikshvaku hahaha! Saying wrong won't make any difference. All three are needed in equal ratio. – TheLittleNaruto Feb 02 '19 at 17:20
  • @TheLittleNaruto Why do you think all 3 are needed in equal ratio? – Ikshvaku Feb 02 '19 at 17:53
  • @Ikshvaku Ask that as a question on main site. – TheLittleNaruto Feb 02 '19 at 18:09
  • @Ikshvaku Looks like Rickross posted a nice answer on what I was telling you, have a look: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/32595/647 – TheLittleNaruto Feb 04 '19 at 13:53
  • What guna is dominant when someone is so desperate to convince others? – Stewart Gilligan Griffin Feb 04 '19 at 17:35
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    @StewartGilliganGriffin "What guna is dominant when someone is so desperate to convince others?" - Rajas, because it is about quarreling, ego, victory, etc. – Ikshvaku Feb 04 '19 at 17:53