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Now Sattva arises (prevails), O Arjuna, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; nor Rajas, having overpowered Sattva and Tamas; and now Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas.

Clarity arises by overpowering passion and inertia; passion, by overpowering clarity and inertia; and inertia likewise, by overpowering clarity and passion.

The three qualities are always present together, but their proportions shift. Clarity becomes dominant by overpowering passion and inertia; passion rises by overcoming clarity and inertia; and inertia prevails by overwhelming the other two. No state is permanent. The verse explains the changing moods of mind and the shifting characters of people and actions. It also implies that the balance can be influenced. By cultivating clarity through diet, conduct and reflection, one can strengthen it relative to the others. Yet the larger aim, as the chapter will show, is to stand free of all three.