Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.2
Ūti· What drives us to actThe Three Modes Shape Our Destinations
“The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in this material world there are three kinds of activities — those in the mode of goodness, the mode of passion and the mode of ignorance. Because all people are influenced by the three modes of material nature, the results of their activities are also divided into three. One who acts in the mode of goodness is religious and happy, one who acts in passion achieves mixed misery and happiness, and one who acts under the influence of ignorance is always unhappy and lives like an animal. Because of the varying degrees to which the living entities are influenced by the different modes of nature, their destinations are also of different varieties.”
What the purport teaches
- Material activities take place in goodness, passion or ignorance. Their results differ according to these three modes.
- One who acts in goodness is religious and happy, while one who acts in passion experiences mixed misery and happiness.
- One who acts in ignorance is unhappy and lives like an animal. Different degrees of influence from the modes lead to different destinations.
Try this today
Review one action from today and consider whether it reflects goodness, passion or ignorance.
Ask yourself
Which of these three modes seems most visible in my actions today?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.