तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम्।
सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ।।14.6।।
।।14.6।।हे पापरहित अर्जुन उन गुणोंमें सत्त्वगुण निर्मल (स्वच्छ) होनेके कारण प्रकाशक और निर्विकार है। वह सुख और ज्ञानकी आसक्तिसे (देहीको) बाँधता है।
The characteristics given by Lord Krishna of sattva or the mode of goodness within the three gunas or modes of material nature is that it is pure and lucid and shines brightly. Purity and clarity is that which negates obscuration of brightness and happiness. As illumination and happiness can only result from sattva it is understood to be their cause. The word prakasakam means illuminates, enlightens, reveals the exact knowledge of. The word anamayam means of peaceful quality, that which has no inherent cause for producing discomfort, pain or sickness denoting that sattva is the cause of good health. The quality of sattva produces in the jiva or embodied being the predisposition for happiness and knowledge. When the dispositions for happiness and knowledge arise in life one embarks upon such worldly material enterprises and spiritual pursuits as correlates to the level of ones developement and evolution. Hence the jiva is propelled to take birth in such wombs that are favorably suited fot the enjoyment of ones karma or resultant reactions to actions which arising out of sattva are positive. Born in sattva the inclinations and disposition that one has again gravitates towrds happiness and knowledge and in this way lifetime by lifetime in sattva guna the mode of goodness one has the opportunity to advance in spiritual life. But this opportunity is not accessible to those born in the two inferior gunas of rajas or passion and tamas or ignorance as will be described next.
