The qualities are incapable of being described as completely separate from one another. Darkness and Goodness and Ignorance are seen existing in a state of union.

They are attached to one another. They depend on one another. The have one another for their support. They likewise follow one another.

As long as goodness exists, so long does Darkness cxist. There is no doubt in this. As long as Ignorance and Goodness exist, so long does Darkness exist.

They travel together, in union, and moving collectively. They move in a body; when they act with cause or without cause.

Of all these which work with one another however much they may differ in their an development, the manner in which their increase and diminution take place will now be described.

There where Ignorance exists in increased measure, in the lower creatures (for example), Darkness exists in a smaller measure and Goodness in a still lesser degree.

These where Darkness predominates, in creatures of middle course, Ignorance exists in a smaller measure and Goodness in a still smaller quantity.

There where Goodness predominates in creatures of upward course, Ignorance should be known to exist in a small measure, and Darkness in a still lesser quantity.

Goodness is the spring which causes the modification of the senses. It is, again, the great enlightener. No duty has been laid down that is higher than Goodness.

They who abide in Goodness proceed upwards. They who abide in Darkness remain in the middle. They who abide in Ignorance being characterised by qualities that are low, sink downwards.

Ignorance is in the Shudra; Darkness in the Kshatriya; and Goodness, which is the highest, in the Brahmana. The three qualities exist thus in the three castes.

From a distance, the three qualities of Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance, are seen to exist in a state of union and more collectively. They are never seen in a state of separation.

Seeing the Sun rising, men of evil deeds become filled with fear. Travellers on their way become afflicted with heat, and suffer distress.

The Sun is Goodness developed; men of evil deeds represent Ignorance; the heat which travellers on their way feel, is said to be a quality of Darkness.

Thic Sun representing light is Goodness; the heat is the quality of Darkness; the shading (or eclipse) of the Sun on Parvan days, should be known to represent Ignorance.

Thus, the three qualities exist in all luminous bodies. They act by turns in various places in various ways.

Among immobile objects, the quality of Ignorance predominates. The qualities belonging to Darkness are those properties of their is which suffer constant changes. Their oleaginous qualities belong to Goodness.

The Day should be understood as threefold. The Night has been ordained to be threefold. So also are fortnights, months, years, seasons, and conjunctions.

The gifts are threefold. Threefold is sacrifice. Threefold are the worlds; threefold the celestials; threefold is knowledge; and threefold the path or end.

The Past, the Present, and the future, Religion, Profit and Pleasure, Prana, Apana, and Udana, these also are permeated by the three qualities.

Whatever object exists in this world, everything in it, is fraught with the three qualities. The three qualities act by turns in all things and in all circumstances.

Indeed, the three qualities always act in an unmanifest form. The creation of those three, viz., Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance is eternal.

The unmanifest, consisting of the three qualities, is said to be darkness, unperceived, holy constant, unborn, womb, eternal, Nature, change or modification, destruction, Pradhana, production, and absorption, undeveloped, not small (i.e., vast), unshaking, immovable, fixed, existent, and non-existent. All these names should be known by those who meditate on matters about the soul.

That person who accurately knows all the names of the unmanifest, and the qualities, as also the pure actions, well conversant with the truth-about all distinctions and freed from the body, becomes emancipated from all the qualities and enjoys absolute happiness. That person who accurately knows all the names of the unmanifest, and the qualities, as also the pure actions, well conversant with the truth-about all distinctions and freed from the body, becomes emancipated from all the qualities and enjoys absolute happiness.