البيت 14.914.114.214.314.414.514.614.714.814.914.1014.1114.1214.1314.1414.1514.1614.1714.1814.1914.2014.2114.2214.2314.2414.2514.2614.27

Sattva attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas verily shrouding knowledge attaches to heedlessness.

Clarity attaches one to happiness, passion to action, descendant of Bharata, while inertia, veiling knowledge, attaches one to heedlessness.

Krishna summarises the binding power of the three qualities in a single line. Clarity (sattva) attaches a person to happiness; passion (rajas) attaches to action; inertia (tamas) covers knowledge and attaches to carelessness. The verb in each case is sañjayati, causes to cling. Each quality has its own hook. The compact form makes the teaching easy to remember and to apply. One can ask in any moment which quality is drawing the mind: toward pleasant calm, toward restless doing, or toward a dull fog in which nothing is seen clearly.