Tamoguna is commonly translated into English as the mode of darkness. But what does this really mean in our day-to-day lives? We often classify actions as good or bad, yet we rarely stop to ask why we behave the way we do.
Why do we sometimes act nobly and at other times fall into harmful behaviour — even when we fully understand the consequences? The answer lies in the three gunas described in the Bhagavad Gita. These three gunas-sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (darkness) — exist within all of us in varying proportions. A person who is generally calm, composed, and virtuous has a higher proportion of sattva. Someone driven, ambitious, and restless is dominated by rajas. And one who frequently acts negligently, destructively, or ignorantly is influenced predominantly by tamas. Importantly, no one is made of only one guna. Even a noble person has moments of anger or confusion, just as someone considered “bad” still feels love or compassion. As Lord Krishna says, “There is no being on earth or even among the gods who is free from these three modes of material nature” (10.40). Since this discussion focuses on tamoguna, it is worth understanding its impact. Krishna describes tamas as the force that brings delusion, born of ignorance, binding a person with carelessness and excessive sleep (14.8).
Darkness covers knowledge and pushes one toward indifference and inattention (14.9). The influence of tamas begins with something as basic as food habits: stale, tasteless, putrid, spoiled, or unclean food is dear to people in the mode of darkness (17.10). Many of us may recognise occasional lapses in our own habits. Tamas also manifests in our attitude toward duty. “Renunciation of prescribed work out of misunderstanding is said to be in the mode of darkness” (18.7). Actions performed without considering consequences, loss, one’s capability, or the harm they may cause are also classified as tamasic (18.25). Why does this happen? Because intelligence itself becomes clouded by ignorance. When this happens, a person mistakes irreligion for duty and constantly interprets things in the opposite way (18.32). Their resolve becomes distorted, leading to daydreaming, depression, fear, disappointment, and arrogance (18.35). Even spiritual practices like austerity turn harmful when performed with stubbornness or with the intention of hurting oneself or others (17.19).
The real-world effects of tamoguna can be severe: lust becomes something one feels entitled to, jealousy corrodes from within, greed destroys judgement and relationships, pride inflates the ego and isolates us, and those absorbed in tamas ultimately sink to lower states of living and being (14.18). From personal experience, like everyone else, I, too, carry a measure of tamoguna.
However, through spiritual practice and conscious effort, its influence reduces over time. I still feel flashes of anger, lust, or greed, but I have learned to recognise them quickly and bring myself back. A saint once said such thoughts are natural with material bodies, but what matters is whether we entertain them or dismiss them. This teaching stays with me. Greed is a silent enemy that seems harmless but can lead us into trouble. The struggle against tamoguna is ongoing, but awareness is the first step. By recognising its signs, we strengthen sattva and rajas, ensuring darkness does not dominate our lives.
The writer is a spiritual teacher; views are personal