All posts in this series
- Gunas: Pathway to Transformation
- Brief look at Gunas
- Working on Our Gunas
- Overcoming Laziness
An introduction to the gunas was shared in the article ‘Brief look at Gunas‘.
Here, we shall go into greater depth on the above subject, attempting to learn more on the factors that influence our life. This is extremely essential, particularly for those of us who aspire to walk the path of dharma and are interested in improving, and bringing about healthy changes in our lives.
Pujyapad Puri Shankaracharyaji guides us, as follows:
If someone stays in a market of chillies, he does not even cough since he is tolerant to the pungent fumes. While, a new person passing through will cough and sneeze.
Verse from the Chandogya Upanishad
आहारशुद्धौ सत्त्वशुद्धिः
Implies: If our food is pure our mind will be pure or sattvika.
Bhagavatpad Shri Adi Shankaracharyaji, in his explanation of the above verse of Chandogya Upanishad, elaborated that whatever we consume through our five senses and antahkaraṇa (roughly translated as mental processes), is our food (ahara). When what all we consume is pure, our mind also purifies. It is not just what we eat but what we read, listen to, watch, contemplate upon, etc, as well.
Pujyapad Puri Shankaracharyaji says that if we really wish to bring change in our lives, the below verse is very important for us to contemplate upon:
Shrimad Bhagavatam (canto 11, chapter 13, verse 4)
आगमोऽप: प्रजा देश: काल: कर्म च जन्म च ।
ध्यानं मन्त्रोऽथ संस्कारो दशैते गुणहेतव: ॥ ४ ॥
Meaning: The doctrine [followed], [the way one deals with] water, the people [one associates with], one’s surroundings and [the way one behaves with] time, one’s [occupational] activities, one’s birth [or social background], as also [the type of] meditation, mantras and purificatory rites [one respects], are the ten [factors] determining the [prominence of a particular] mode.
The above enumerates ten factors that determine the gunas predominant in us.
A brief explanation of these ten factors:
1. Granthas and discourses
The kind of granthas we read that is also our food. If we study about, and listen to discourses on maran-mohan-ucchatan (methods to control/destroy others) the nature of our mind will also become like that. That is why we must use our discrimination and choose the subjects of study wisely. If we want to make our mind sattvika, we must study granthas like Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11 canto), Vinay Patrika, Dasbodh (for spiritual and behavioural perfection). Even if we are able to study only two of these granthas our whole life, but are able to apply their teachings practically, our work is done. Do not read bad texts or listen to the thoughts of foul persons.
2. Food and water
Our mind is made up of the food we eat. To state an example, many parts of Bharata have the practice of eating leftover cooked rice that was kept overnight, for breakfast, the next day. The consumption of this would increase tamoguna. It is another matter if this is in the form of prāsāda. What we eat and drink, must be good. Sattvika food is recommended. We must avoid cold drinks, tea, etc.
3. Our Company
The society we live in and our company, influences us. If the people we stay amongst are sattvika, this guna will rise in us. Amongst rajasika people we shall become rajasika and amongst tamasika people, we would become tamasika. It is a rare exception that some people can escape such influence. Ordinarily, the lifestyle and habits of our company impact us. An example – A brahmana living amongst vaishyas, will slowly get focussed on business and calculations, for instance. For vaishyas, such focus on wealth and accounts is wonderful but not for a brahmana, ideally speaking.
4. Where we live
Where we live also matters. Many regions mentioned in shastras are such that people visiting them without the intent of pilgrimage shall be negatively influenced. Similarly, living abroad shall have bad influence. More on these regions and living/travelling abroad available here. A forest area is considered sattvika (forests in West don’t belong to this category), cities are rajasika, and the area around an alcohol shop, for example, tamasika.
5. Time
Different gunas dominate at different times in the day. Brahmamuhūrta is sattvika, post sunrise – the day is dominated by rajoguna , and after sunset and through the night, tamoguna is dominant. Within the time span of each day we have all the qualities of the various yugas dominate us as well. Similarly, different gunas dominate in different yugas too.
Importance of waking at brahmamuhurta: Even if we have a subtle mind, we will not be able to progress in matters of dharma/spirituality if we wake up after sunrise. Waking up at brahmamuhurta increases sattva. Waking late just makes us talkative. Our energy shall be drawn out of us by Surya Bhagavan on late rising.
6. Occupation
The livelihood we have, and hence our actions, influences us. For example, he who sells wood for burning pyres, shall look forward to dead bodies (of people other than his family). Similarly, many doctors wait for the seasons when sicknesses rise and people come to them for cure and medicine. We must try to select sattvika karma.
7. Birth
Our varna and family background also influences us. For example, Arjuna was a kshatriya. Sri Krishna asked Arjuna to fight the war. He explained to Arjuna, that even if he had considered sannyasa, at some point he would give it up, compelled by his birth as a kshatriya (and hence the nature of a warrior). We cannot deny the influence of the family we are born into.
8. Dhyana or Meditation
What we focus or meditate upon impacts us. If our mental focus is centered around concubines, thieves, etc, the mind will get destroyed. We must meditate on sattvika persons and things.
9. Mantra
Means the mantra we chant and mantrana (taking advice). For example, it was Manthara who advised Kaikeyi (gave mantrana to Kaikeyi) in the Ramayana, to take wrong steps. Her mind was destroyed under guidance of Manthara. An example of mantra japa is that people who do japa of deities as Bhagavan Narasiṃha, Bhairava, and Tara Devi, are fierce in nature.
10. Samskaras
There are two types of birth – our physical birth through parents and then, through samskaras. The sixteen samskaras are lost now.
The above explanation given by Pujyapad Puri Shankaracharyaji can help us examine our lives better and alter what all we consume in various ways, so that we can make positive changes on the road to self-improvement, to benefit ourselves and others around us. He often emphasises that we all must attempt to apply these teachings in our daily lives.
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