The Sankhya philosophy holds that the Prakriti comprising the three gunas is the basis of the entire range of creation. Krishna analyses human nature and shows how the three gunas determine the nature of karma done by people, pointed out Sri Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal in a lecture. Knowledge, the object of knowledge and the individual who is endowed with the consciousness that makes him know are all threefold according to the gunas. Likewise, the acts of people and the fruits of their acts, etc, are also different according to the gunas. Human beings are endowed with budhi or intellect, the mind where thoughts keep spinning endlessly and the sense organs that enable them to act in life. These three factors are intertwined in each one of us. He who is endowed with Satvika Budhi, understands the good and bad effects of deeds, knows what is bondage and liberation and what is dharma and adharma. This awareness guides his acts accordingly. Some others who are full of Rajas Budhi understand all these in the wrong perspective, in spite of knowing the facts in the matter. There is yet another category of people who understand dharma as adharma and vice versa and these are in the grip of Tamas Budhi. Similarly, activity in terms of what to do and what to avoid and when to stop is of the Satvika type. Moreover, the act is done without attachment, without desire or aversion, and no fruit of the act is sought. The act of the Rajasic type is performed with great effort and the doer seeks to fulfil his desires, and is also full of ego. The Tamasic type of action is done through delusion and no thought is given to consequences, loss or injury. Each one thus has his inborn nature and is born into a certain set of circumstances. But the divine and eternal self within is the truth of his being and his essential nature. The wise learn to look at this truth and aim to attain the higher level of activity based on Satva that leads to God-realisation.
