The description of Tamas Guna will go in the same order as Sattva and Rajas so that the difference is clearly visible.
"Arjuna,know the quality of Tamas, the deluder of all those who look upon the body as their own self, as born of ignorance; It binds the soul through madness, indolence and sleep (laziness)." (Chap 14- verse 8)
"Tamas clouds wisdom and incites one to error, madness, indolence and sleep (laziness).."
(Chap 14 - verse 9)
"Tamas is predominant when darkness, inertia, madness, illusion, disinclination to perform ones' obligatory duties, frivolity, stupor appear." (Chap 14 - verse 13)
"The fruit of Tamas activity is ignorance...." (Chap 14 - verse 16)
"Men of Tamasik Guna worship SPIRITS OF THE DEAD AND GHOSTS...." (Chap 17 - verse 4)
What is TAMASIK knowledge?
"That knowledge by which one attaches himself to one kind of work as if that is the whole thing, and which is irrational, trivial is declared as Tamasik." (Chap 18 - verse 22)
What is TAMASIK sacrifice?
"The sacrifice, which has no respect for scriptural injunctions, in which no food is offered and no sacrifical fees are paid, which is without sacred chants and devoid of faith, know it to be Tamasika, Arjuna." (Chap 17 - verse 13)
"Foods which are half-cooked or half-ripe, inspid, putrid, stale and polluted, which is impure too, is dear to Tamasik type of men." (Chap 17 - verse 10)
"That action which is undertaken through sheer ignorance, performed in illusion by disregarding spiritual injunctions without the concern of future bondage, violence, distress to others, is called Tamasik action." (Chap 18 - verse 25)
"A gift which is made without good grace and in a disdainful spirit out of time and place and to undeserving persons, is said to be Tamasika." (Chap 17 - verse 22)
"The intellect which imagines even Adharma to be Dharma and sees all other things upside down - wrapped in ignorance - that intellect is TAMASIKA." (Chap 18 - verse 32)
"The Dhriti/firmness, however, by which the evil-minded person refuses to shake-off i.e clings to sleep, fear, anxiety, sorrow and vanity as well, - that Dhriti is called Tamasika, Arjuna."
(Chap 18 - verse 35)
Labels: All about TAMAS Guna