Devanagari
पार्थिवाद्दारुणो धूमस्तस्मादग्निस्त्रयीमय: ।
तमसस्तु रजस्तस्मात्सत्त्वं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २४ ॥
Verse text
pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas
tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ
tamasas tu rajas tasmāt
sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam
Synonyms
pārthivāt
—
from earth
;
dāruṇaḥ
—
firewood
;
dhūmaḥ
—
smoke
;
tasmāt
—
from that
;
agniḥ
—
fire
;
trayī
—
Vedic sacrifices
;
mayaḥ
—
made of
;
tamasaḥ
—
in the mode of ignorance
;
tu
—
but
;
rajaḥ
—
the mode of passion
;
tasmāt
—
from that
;
sattvam
—
the mode of goodness
;
yat
—
which
;
brahma
—
the Absolute Truth
;
darśanam
—
realization .
Translation
Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly, passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Smoke is superior to dull wood, and fire, sacred to the Vedas, is superior to smoke. Similarly rajas is superior to tamas, and sattva is superior to rajas, since it is favorable for realizing the Lord.
Purport
As explained above, one can get release from the conditioned life of material existence by devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. It is further comprehended herein that one has to rise to the platform of the mode of goodness (
sattva
) so that one can be eligible for the devotional service of the Lord. But if there are impediments on the progressive path, anyone, even from the platform of
tamas,
can gradually rise to the
sattva
platform by the expert direction of the spiritual master. Sincere candidates must, therefore, approach an expert spiritual master for such a progressive march, and the bona fide, expert spiritual master is competent to direct a disciple from any stage of life:
tamas, rajas
or
sattva.
It is a mistake, therefore, to consider that worship of any quality or any form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equally beneficial. Except Viṣṇu, all separated forms are manifested under the conditions of material energy, and therefore the forms of material energy cannot help anyone to rise to the platform of
sattva,
which alone can liberate a person from material bondage.
The uncivilized state of life, or the life of the lower animals, is controlled by the mode of
tamas.
The civilized life of man, with a passion for various types of material benefits, is the stage of
rajas.
The
rajas
stage of life gives a slight clue to the realization of the Absolute Truth in the forms of fine sentiments in philosophy, art and culture with moral and ethical principles, but the mode of
sattva
is a still higher stage of material quality, which actually helps one in realizing the Absolute Truth. In other words, there is a qualitative difference between the different kinds of worshiping methods as well as the respective results derived from the predominating deities, namely Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Hara.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Tamas, rajas and sattva have the respective qualities of obscuring, agitating and revealing knowledge. Of these sattva is the best because it is not unfavorable for śuddha-sattva. This is shown through an example. Superior to wood — which is devoid of the quality of action and unable to reveal its nature (being unconscious) — is smoke. Smoke has an active nature. Superior to smoke however is fire, which has the qualities of action and revelation. It is called trayīmayaḥ (related to the Vedas) because it is used in rituals mentioned in the Vedas. Rajas, which is agitating, is superior to tamas which is inert. Sattva, being devoid of inertia and agitation, is superior since it gives a vision of brahman.
sattvāt saṣjāyate jṣānaṁ rajaso lobha eva ca
pramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jṣānam eva ca
Knowledge arises from sattva. Greed arises from rajas. Inattention, confusion and ignorance arise from tamas. BG 14.17
It is not obstructive to śuddha-sattva and does not cover it. It does not interfere with seeing brahman. It is thus an assistant in spiritual life. Without bhakti however, seeing the Lord (or even impersonal brahman) is impossible. This is confirmed later in the Bhāgavatam.
It is said of the Lord’s form ānando brahmaṇo rūpam: the supreme lord has a form of bliss. The guṇas of māyā - tamas, rajas and sattva - cannot act independently of him. Māyā paraity abhimukhe ca vilajjamānā: māyā flees from the Lord, being ashamed. (SB 2.7.47) Thus it is by the will of the lord, by his touch alone, that ānanda becomes qualified by agitation in the form of Brahmā. Being qualified by revelation, ānanda becomes Viṣṇu and being qualified with obscuration, ānanda becomes Śiva. Since there is no damage when ānanda is combined with revelation (sattva), Viṣṇu is worthy of worship.
Because one can realize fire through wood but not through smoke, tamas should be considered superior to rajas. In deep sleep (tamas) one has realization of oneness with ātmā. Thus some persons argue that between Brahmā and Śiva, Śiva is better.
These three are equal in that they are all avatāras of the Lord. They are unequal in that Viṣṇu is not covered by the guṇas, whereas Brahmā and Śiva are. This is how the contrary statements of difference and non-difference of the Purāṇas can be harmonized.
The śruti says asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ: the ātmā is not contaminated by the guṇas. (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.15) Though both Paramātmā and jīvātmā are by their constitution devoid of the guṇas, because Paramātmā is the supreme lord, an ocean of cit, because he is independent in his actions, he remains ātmārāma, self enjoying, not subject to birth in the world, without diminution of his knowledge of himself, even though, by his will, he contacts the guṇas and thus is in possession the effects of the guṇas such as anger. However the jīva, because he is only a particle of cit, having very little ability of knowledge and because he is controlled by the Lord and not independent, and has very little power, he loses his knowledge of his real nature and takes birth in this world by contacting the guṇas where the guṇas act upon him.