SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
thathra sathvam nirmalathvAth prakASakam anAmayam |
sukhasangEna badhnAthi gyAnasangEna chAnagha |
word-by-word meaning
anagha – Oh faultless [arjuna]!
thathra – among the three qualities namely sathvam, rajas and thamas
sathvam – sathvam (goodness)
nirmalathvAth – since it is naturally revealing without concealing (the AthmA’s knowledge and bliss)
prakASakam – causes true knowledge (to AthmA);
anAmayam – bestows healthy life.
(That)
sukha sangEna – causing attachment to bliss
gyAna sangEna cha – causing attachment to knowledge
badhnAthi – further binds (the AthmA which is in a body).
Simple Translation
Oh faultless [arjuna]! Among the three qualities namely sathvam, rajas and thamas, since sathvam (goodness) is naturally revealing without concealing (the AthmA’s knowledge and bliss), it causes true knowledge (to AthmA) and bestows healthy life. It further binds (the AthmA which is in a body) by causing attachment to bliss and knowledge.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Of them, O Sinless! Satvam, luminous and painless from (its) purity, links (souls) to blessedness and wisdom.’
The characteristic nature of Satvam, amid the three qualities of Satvam, Rajas and Tamas is thus:
Being pure or lucid, it is bright. Purity or clearness is that which is the negation of obscuration; or brightness and happiness. As only brightness and gladness result from Satvam, it is said to be their cause.
Prakāśa=luminosity, means true enlightenment, or exact knowledge of things accruing.
Anāmayam=That in which inhere not causes for producing pain (sickness) etc., and therefore Satvam is the cause of health.
This Satva-quality produces in the embodied creature a predisposition for happiness and knowledge. And when such leanings for happiness and knowledge arise, then one embarks on such worldly and spiritual pursuits as conform with his leanings. Thence he is propelled to be born in such wombs, i.e., made to be born in such bodies as are favourably fitted for the enjoyment of the fruits of his (sātvik-)labours. So born, his inclinations fostered by satva again tend towards happiness and knowledge. Happiness and knowledge do thus result which in turn produce a desire for more of them.
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