tamaḥ

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः

tamaḥ — darkness

Out of compassion for them alone, I destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the light of knowledge, standing in their own being.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः

tamaḥ — mode of ignorance

Clarity, restlessness and inertia — these strands, born of nature, bind the imperishable embodied one to the body.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्

tamaḥ — mode of ignorance

Know inertia to be born of unknowing, the deluder of all the embodied. It binds by heedlessness, idleness and sleep.

सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत

tamaḥ — mode of ignorance

Clarity binds to happiness, restlessness to action, Arjuna. Inertia, covering over knowledge, binds to heedlessness.

रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत

tamaḥ — mode of ignorance

Clarity rises when restlessness and inertia are overcome; restlessness when clarity and inertia are; and inertia when clarity and restlessness are.

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः

tamaḥ-dvāraiḥ — gates to darkness

A person freed from these three gates of darkness, son of Kunti, does what is good for the self, and so goes to the highest.

ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः

tamaḥ — mode of ignorance

Those who worship with faith but set aside what the scriptures direct — where do they stand, Krishna? In clarity, restlessness or inertia?