Bhagavad Gita · Gunatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter 14, Shloka 10 (14.10)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत
रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा
॥ 14.10 ॥
rajastamaścābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata
rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaścaiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajastathā
Translation
"O Bharata, sattva grows by overpowering rajas and tamas; rajas by overpowering sattva and tamas; and likewise tamas by overpowering sattva and rajas."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. rajaḥ tamaś ca ubhāv api abhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati udbhavati vardhate yadā, tadā labdhātmakaṃ sattvaṃ svakāryaṃ jñānasukhādi ārabhate.
Acharya Ramanuja — the cause. prācīnakarmavaśād dehāpyāyanabhūtāhāravaiṣamyāt ca sattvādayaḥ parasparasamudbhavābhibhavarūpeṇa vartante — because of past karma and the variation in the food that nourishes the body, the gunas raise up and suppress one another.
Madhusudana Saraswati. A simple account of all three states: rajas tamaś ca yugapad ubhāv api guṇāv abhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavaty udbhavati vardhate — when sattva grows by overpowering both, it does its work; evaṃ rajo 'pi … tathā tamo 'pi — rajas and tamas likewise.
Shridhara Swami. adṛṣṭavaśād udbhavati — (the gunas) arise under the sway of adrishta (past karma).
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.