Acharya Prashant begins by reciting a verse from the Hans Gita, where Shri Krishna tells Uddhav that Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are qualities of the intellect (Prakriti), not of the Atman (Self). One should conquer Rajas and Tamas through Sattva, and then, through the peaceful tendency of Sattva, also quieten its other tendencies like compassion. Responding to a question about the 'levels' of the intellect, Acharya Prashant clarifies that the qualities (gunas) themselves are the levels. One quality constitutes one level. The Sattvic intellect is the highest level, the Rajasic intellect is the middle level, and the Tamasic intellect is the lowest level. The intellect is an element of Prakriti, and everything that is of Prakriti is a combination of these three gunas. These three gunas are always in a state of disharmony with each other. When we say something is Sattvic, it means the Sattva guna is dominant, but the other two are still present in a suppressed state. Acharya Prashant explains that both Rajas and Tamas are rooted in ignorance or false knowledge. Rajas is active ignorance, while Tamas is inactive ignorance. In contrast, Sattva is based on true knowledge. This is why Sattva can conquer Rajas and Tamas, as they are based on falsehood. However, true knowledge is dangerous and expensive because it destroys one's delusions and sense of doership. This is why few people are Sattvic; they are unwilling to pay the price, which is the loss of their false self and its associated pleasures. He further elaborates on the nature of Tamasic and Rajasic individuals. The Tamasic person is lost in intoxication and inertia, having no story to tell. The Rajasic person, on the other hand, has long stories of their achievements, like a lengthy CV. Sattva, or true knowledge, destroys these stories and delusions. This process is initially painful but ultimately leads to freedom. For those who seek complete liberation, they must go beyond even Sattva, as it still entails a dependence on knowledge. To transcend Sattva is to go beyond all three gunas and Prakriti itself, becoming a liberated being (mukt purush) established in pure consciousness. Spirituality is not a minor improvement but a total transformation, a 'great death' of the old self, which requires immense passion and disgust for one's current state.
