The Paramathma and the Scriptures drastically depart from conventional thought as to how the Universe was created.  

Remember, the perceived universe is only a reflection of the qualities of the inner self. It is to be read as a reflection in order to enable the Atma to evolve to shed the dependance on the physical self. 

So since the Universe is only an instrument of the forces of consciousnes, including the mind, the universe is said to be formed due to the imbalances of the forces in the JivaAtma and its main instrument, the mind.  

To apply a bit of modern physics, forces come into existence only due to imbalances.  If there was perfect balance, there would be no forces that would be created or come into play. 

The power behind Perception is the ATMA.  ATMA, when completely balanced, is in the Moksham State.  But when when or more of the three Gunas (Rajasic, Sattvic, Tamasic) begins to dominate, then the ATMA becomes attached to the physical world through the sense organs and more importantly, through the Mind. 

What causes perception to be born in a state of imbalance? What is the imbalance that causes the ATMA to Perceive this universe?

In Srimad Bhagavatham, the Paramathma explains that Human perception was caused by an imbalance between “The Three GUNAS”.  When THE THREE GUNAS are balanced, there will be no perception of this universe. 

The three GUNAS of the Mind are Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. 

IT IS SAID IN SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM THAT PERCEPTION OF LIFE WAS CREATED WHEN TIME SEPARATED THE THREE GUNAS.

“Brahman, because of Maya and the power of Maya, appeared to have two forms, the Seer and the Seen, Drishta and Drishtam. The seer was named Purusha and the Seen was Prakriti. This Prakriti was made up of Cause and Effect. The Purusha is pure knowledge, Jnana.  Prakriti  began to function and out of it were manifested the three Gunas, Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. Out of these Gunas was born the Sukshmatma, the suble power, which causes Kriya, action.  Sukshmatma is the nucleus of the power of action.

The Paramathma explains Sattva in Srimad Bhagavatham as follows:

“I will explain it to you,” said KRISHNA. “I will have to go back to the beginnings of creation to make it simple to you. When Ishvara created Maya the World was manifested.  The five elements called the Mahabhutas, the Indriyas, the Tanmatras, and later, the many Lokas were manifested.  Ishvara pervades the entire Universe but because of Maya, the Avidya which envelopes the Mind of Man, this University of  the Ishwara  is hidden concealed. Man gets involved in the illusion: ‘I am the doer.’ ‘ I am enjoying the fruits of my action,’ and such like. This again leads to further details about actions: ‘You shall do this’ and ‘this act is forbidden.’ It is then said that certain acts should be performed for enhancing the Sattvic nature in Man. When the Sattvic nature gains ascendancy the mind becomes clear. Once the mind is clear, it is up to Man to rid himself of the bondage called “action.”

So it is safe to conclude that Sattva is a state of mind in which Man rids himself of the delusion of the "I" as being responsible for his ability to perceive and all his actions. It is an advanced state of mind in which Man rids himself of all his delusions.

On Rajasic Guna, the following is the explanation in Srimad Bhagavatham;

The Karmendriyas, the organs of action, and the Jnendriyas, the organs of perception are born of the Rajasic Aham Tattva.

Rajas stands for all active emotions like anger and passion: not easily controlled.

So the Rajasic Guna is the perpetrator of action and emotion in the mind.

On the Tamasic Guna

Out of the Tamasic Aham Tattva arre born the Mahabhutas, the elements, the Tanmatras. 

At the Physical level, Creation is the same as BIRTH. Preservation is the same as LIFE.  Destruction is the same as DEATH. See section "Extracts from Srimad Bhagavatham" (under "The Great Deluge and the Gunas" for a formal definition of the Three Gunas).

If the three GUNAS were in a state of balance, there would be no seperation between Creation, Preservation and Destruction.  In other words, there would be no perception of the physical universe.

Here it is in simpler terms; (1) The mind is the instrument of perception, (2) The mind is created by the imbalance of the three Gunas.  (3) The three Gunas are in a constant state of struggle to attain supremacy. (4) This imbalance is reflected in the constantly swirling human mind.  (5) The swirling is the Karma that we (the Atma) experience for the time of one human life. (6). Unable to bear the imbalance, the mind consciously seeks a middle ground in which it does not feel the impact of the pulls and pushes of the opposites. (7) The mind cannot lose the pull of the temptations, strays from the middle ground and faces the consequent backlashes.  (8) In turning to the various alternatives for peace, tranquility and freedom (which is the true nature of the Atma), it comes across the teachings of the Paramathma which is self-realization through Bhakti. The mind learns that it does not have to turn anywhere else except within itself to find the answer and quell the turmoil within. (9) One by one it sheds the illusion an attachments that it was subject to.  (10) It then attains unification with the Atma and is freed forever from the repeated cycle of births and deaths.

Everything that we perceive in this world is constantly changing.  Imbalances characterize the physical world.  If there were no imbalances, there would be no perception. In a completely steady state with no changes, the mind would not get the ability to perceive.  The instruments of perception deployed by the mind are the five senses.  The five senses are activated only by changes and imbalances.

The Paramathma in Srimad Bhagavatham says that this imbalance originates in the Mind and not in the physical world. The imbalance in the Mind is reflected as the perceived universe.  If we remove this imbalance from our minds, the physical world as we know it will not exist at all. 

It should be emphasized that the perception of the seperation of the Gunas arise only in the mind.  As such the Puranas do not attach any significance to physical Creation, Sustenance or Destruction.

This is why our Rishis focused on STILLING THE MIND to attain the state of Moksham.  So MOKSHAM means to attain a state of mind without any imbalances in the three GUNAS.

The perceived universe, being in a state of imbalance is constantly in a state of motion to attempt resolve the imbalance.  This change in physical objects resulting from these imbalances (either through movement or through physical/chemical/biological transformation is called by modern science as ENERGY and by Puranas as KARMA.

Modern science is focused on channelizing the imbalances so the energy can be used in a manner that is "useful" to man.  

The Puranas are focused only on removing these imbalances by developing self control of the Mind.

The only power that has been left in our control is our own thought.  If the attitude is taken that everything else is secondary, then this perceived world will no longer trouble us.  On the contrary, life will become a very pleasant experience.  More importantly, life will align itself and allow you to make even more progress on the intellectual front.

The Paramathma’s assertion in the Puranas is that when the mind reaches this balanced state of existence, there will no longer be any physical constraints of space, time and conflict.  Without restrictions and conflicts, the mind will reach a state of pure and unbounded enlightenment, very much akin to merging with the Paramathman.

Guṇa - Wikipedia (Sanskrit: गुण) means 'string' or 'a single thread or strand of a cord or twine'. In more abstract uses, it may mean 'a subdivision, species, kind, quality', or an operational principle or tendency.^[1]

In Samkhya philosophy, there are three major guṇas that serve as the fundamental operating principles or 'tendencies' of prakṛti (universal nature) which are called: sattva guṇa, rajasguṇa, and tamas guṇa. The three primary gunas are generally accepted to be associated with creation (sattva), preservation (rajas), and destruction (tamas) (see also Aum and Trimurti).^[2]The entire creation and its process of evolution is carried out by these three major gunas.^[1][3][4]

The Triguna appear prominently in the discourse of Krishna to Arjuna upon the battlefield of Kurukshetra that is the backdrop for the Bhagavad Gita. All three gunas are held to delude the World:

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्‌।

मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्‌॥ ७.१३॥

tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairebhiḥ sarvamidaṁ jagat|

mohitaṁ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ paramavyayam|| 7.13||

The World deluded by these Three Gunas does not know Me:

Who is beyond these Gunas and imperishable. (7.13)

In Nyaya philosophy, 24 guṇas are enumerated as properties or characteristics of all created things, including śábda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, and gandha.

1. rūpa: appearance(shape and color).
2. rasa: taste.
3. gandha: smell.
4. sparśa: feeling (touch).
5. sāṃkhya: amount.
6. parimāṇa: dimension.
7. pṛthaktva: distinctness.
8. saṃyoga: conjunction.
9. vibhāga: disjunction.
10. paratva: remoteness.
11. aparatva: proximity.
12. gurutva: gravity.
13. dravatva: fluidity.
14. sneha: viscidity.
15. śábda: sound.
16. buddhi/jñāna: enlightenment/knowing.
17. sukha: pleasure.
18. duḥkha: pain.
19. icchā: desire.
20. dveṣa: aversion.
21. prayatna: effort.
22. dharma: merit or virtue.
23. adharma: demerit.
24. saṃskāra: the self-reproductivequality;



“With a steady mind you should visualise the form of the Lord. The Mind should be pervaded by His form and nothing else. Once this is achieved Tamasic nature will no longer delude Man, nor will Rajasic nature try to ensnare him in Worldly things. Once you have mastered the correct posture and correct breathing according to the rules of Pranayama, once you have broken away from the bondage and the snare of the senses then you will be in a position to do Dharana: holding the form of the Lord firmly in the Mind. Think on the Virata Purusha.



The King was proud of the fact that he was a King, the Master who could do what he liked with his Servants. In him the two gunas, Tamas and Rajas, were predominant and so his pride, his arrogance had grown beyond all control. He thought that he was a great Man and that every other Man was inferior to Him. He had not benefitted by the company of Good and God-Loving People who could have, if they had been given a chance, instilled in him, some wisdom. This foolish King spoke cruel and arrogant words to the Brahmin who would not hurt anyone or anything: not even a worm crawling on the ground.



"It is the mind of man which causes him either to fall into the morass called Samsara or to find freedom from it.  It is the mind which should be subdued.  When the mind is tainted with the three gunas:  Sattva, Rajas and Tamas its path is set in the world of objects. It will have to keep on performing actions, good or bad:  and the cycle of births and deaths will be endless.  It will acquire desires and according to the desires,  its progress will be towards the higher or towards the lower as the case may be. Pleasure and pain will affect the life of man and there will be no end to it.  So long as the mind of man is attached to the things of the world it can never glow on its own accord."

The three qualities Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are parts of nature and they have nothing to do with the Atman.  One who has reached the Atman,  who has reached the Brahmi state will never be afftected by the opposites. 

"You stand on the edge of the sea of darkness, of Tamas, which is all that is found at the end of Pralaya and you bring new life into the new creation which is born of the old.  The cycle is unending and you are the cause behind the cosmos.  

She looked at Narayana who had crossed the Trigunas,  Sattva, Rajas and Tamas:  who was not moved by the passions which affect the others

“The three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are respectively the causes of living, birth and destruction. Static and moving objects are all the results of Rajoguna and the clouds are formed in all the four quarters because of this Guna in Nature by name Rajas. They rain on the Earth and beings are able to exist because of this rain.

“My Lord, rid as you are, of the Gunas Tamas and Rajas you, who is the embodiment of Sattvaguna will not find it hard to forgive me. This Universe which is made up of Avidya, Ignorance of the Truth; of Maya, Illusion, which hides the Truth which lies at the bottom of all this; and of the combination of the Gunas: this I say, has no effect on you nor can it, in any way, bind you since you are the STHANU, the permanent among impermenant things, the TRUTH underlying all this. Ordinary faults which beset man do not dare to come near you: faults like Lobha, avarice which is born of the body and one’s involvement with it: faults which are the causes of the next birth of the human being: faults which are but so many proofs of the ignorance of Man.”

 The process of attaining Moksham is to bring the senses back into balance, using our concious capabilities.The three Gunas, Rajas, Tamas and Sattva are used by You to create the Universe: the movable and immovable things of the Universe. You create the illusion that You live on this Earth which is untrue since the Earth itself is You. You are the creator, the preserver and the destroyer of this entire Universe. Though You have created the fetters which are Maya, Bandha, you are You are Yourself free from them. You are not involved with the things You have created. Bandha is there because of Avidya, ignorance of the Truth about oneself. Since You are Yourself the TRUTH, how can Bandha affect You? Or Maya? Or Avidya?”

“The three Gunas are said to be represented by the three Murtis: BRAHMA, the creator stands for  Rajas: MAHADEVA for Tamas, and NARAYANA for Sattva.  In reality, these three Gunas cause the Universe but for the sake of explaining the Absolute in terms which are so inadequate, these definitions are chosen.”

“When the Brahman assumes the form of one of the Gunas, He is called by that name. MAHADEVA, or SHIVA or SHANKARA, is ever said to be the symbol of the Aham Tattva: the Maya associated with Aham. There are three forms He is said to take up. The first is pure Tamas: the second is Tamas blended with Rajas: and the third is Tamas blended with Sattva. MAHADEVA, is therefore, ever endowed with the Gunas.”

“Now Aham Tattva is actually the three powers: Vaikarika which is Rajasa, Taijasa which is Sattvika and pure Tamas. Out of these three forms of the Aham Tattva sixteen Vikaras, that is, distortions, alterations are formed: the five karmendriyas, the five jnanedriyas, the five elements and the Mind. When a man of little knowledge Worships one of the ‘Guna-infested forms’ of the Absolute, his desires are soon fulfilled.”

“NARAYANA is to be known as without any of the three Gunas who is not conditioned by these: who is the PURUSHA: who was there before the Gunas made their appearance: who is apart from Prakriti which is but a manifestation of the PURUSHA: the illuminator of the illumined: the one apart which is theSakshi for the entire manifestation called the Universe.”

“When a Man realises NARAYANA to be this, his Devotion to NARAYANA naturally makes him Guna-less which means that he has no desires. Wealth has no meaning for him and he is granted tranquility.”

The disturbance in the equilibrium of the Gunas was the Cause of the manifestation of Prakriti. Out of Prakriti was evolved the Mahat Tattva.  Mahat is all light. It swallowed the darkness which had enveloped everything during the great Annihilation, the great deluge during the previous Kalpa. 

In the beginning, Brahman was and nothing else. Brahman, the Soul of all souls, the Lord of Prakriti, the Cause and the Effect, blended into one. He was the Seer and in the beginning there was nothiing to be seen. The Brahman was self-luminous. Prakriti was in Him. The power to manifest Himself was in Him.

In the beginning, the three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas were perfectly balanced. They were in equilibrium. Another powerful aspect of the Brahman is Kala, Time.  Now, because of the passage of Time, the balance of the Gunas was upset, disturbed. There was a throb of unrest and this disturbance had in it, the Germ of Creation. 

The Power because of which the Purusha creates the Universe is called Prakriti, the active aspect of the Brahman which is all consciousness, awareness.

This consciousness manifested itself in the form of the Universe ruled by the three Gunas and their sway. The Original Soul, the Universal Spirit altered its appearance, meaning it became the Cause as well as the Effect, the Seer as well as the Seen, the Doer as well as the Deed.

Tamas                                                 Literally darkness. In Vedanta, it is one of the three qualities or constituents of everything in nature, the other two being Sattva and Rajas.