Chapter on the Results of the Three Guṇas — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 77

त्रिगुणफलाध्यायः

The complete Chapter on the Results of the Three Guṇas chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 22 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Introduction; sattvic native from predominance of a sattva-graha

गुणानुसारमथ ते फलं वच्म्यधुना मुने ! । प्राधान्ये सत्त्वखेटस्य जातो विज्ञश्च सात्त्विकः ॥ १ ॥

O Muni (Maitreya)! Now I shall declare to you the results according to the guṇas. When a graha of sattva is predominant, the native born is wise and of sattvic nature.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Rajasic and tamasic natives from predominance of rajas- and tamas-grahas

राजसग्रहप्राधान्ये जातः स्याद् राजसो बुधः । तमोग्रहस्य प्राधान्ये मन्दधीस्तामसो नरः ॥ २ ॥

When a rājasic graha is predominant, the native is rājasic and learned. When a graha of tamas is predominant, the person is dull of intellect and tāmasic.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Equality of the three guṇas; the fourfold classification of humans

गुणत्रयस्य तुल्यत्वे जातो मिश्रगुणी स्मृतः । चतुर्धा मानवाश्चेत्थ-मुदिता मुनिभिः पुरा ॥ ३ ॥

When the three guṇas are equal, the native is declared to be of mixed guṇa. Thus were human beings of old declared by the sages to be of four kinds.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — The four types named: best, middling, lowest, indifferent

श्रेष्ठमध्याधमाश्चैव-मुदासीनाः क्रमेण ते । प्राचीनमुनिभिः प्रोक्तांस्तद्गुणान् कथयामि ते ॥ ४ ॥

They are, in order, the best (śreṣṭha), the middling (madhyama), the lowest (adhama), and the indifferent (udāsīna). I shall now declare to you their qualities as stated by the ancient sages.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Marks of the sattva-predominant (best) person

शान्तो दान्तः शुचिः शान्तः सरलः सत्यवागपि । अलुब्धस्तापसः सत्त्वप्राधान्ये जायते नरः ॥ ५ ॥

With sattva predominant, the person born is tranquil, self-controlled, pure, forbearing, straightforward, truthful in speech, free from greed, and given to austerity.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Marks of the rajas-predominant (middling) person

तेजस्वी धृतिमान् दक्षः समरे त्वपराङ्मुखः । सतां शरण्यस्तु जनः प्राधान्ये रजसो भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥

With rajas predominant, the person becomes lustrous, steadfast, skilful, one who does not turn his back in battle, and a refuge for the good.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Marks of the tamas-predominant (lowest) person

लुब्धो मिथ्याभिभाषी चा-ऽलसो मूर्खोऽधमस्तथा । सेनासु निपुणो जातः प्राधान्ये तमसो भवेत् ॥ ७ ॥

With tamas predominant, the native born is greedy, a speaker of falsehood, lazy, foolish and base — yet skilled in matters of armies.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Marks of the udāsīna (guṇa-equal) person

कृषीवलो वणिक्कर्म-कुशलः पशुपालकः । सत्यानृतप्रवक्ता च गुणसाम्ये जनो भवेत् ॥ ८ ॥

When the guṇas are equal, the person becomes a cultivator, skilled in the work of trade, a keeper of cattle, and one who speaks both truth and falsehood.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Employing each of the four types in fitting work

एवं चतुर्विधानुक्ता-नुत्तमाधममध्यमान् । उदासीनांश्च विबुधस्तत्तत्कर्मणि योजयेत् ॥ ९ ॥

Thus the wise man should employ the four kinds described — the best, the lowest, the middling and the indifferent — each in the work befitting him.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Operative definition of predominance and of equality of guṇas

गुणेषु यस्य प्राबल्य-माधिक्यं तस्य जायते । गुणानां तुल्यता वेद्या वैपरीत्ये द्विजर्षभ ! ॥ १० ॥

O bull among the twice-born (Maitreya)! Among the guṇas, whichever has strength, its predominance obtains. In the contrary case, equality of the guṇas is to be understood.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Purpose of the guṇas: compatibility of master–servant and bride–groom

गुणानामेव सादृश्ये स्वामिसेवकयोस्तथा । कुमारीवरयोश्चापि सौहार्दमतिसुस्थिरम् ॥ ११ ॥

When there is likeness of guṇas between master and servant, and likewise between the maiden and the bridegroom, the mutual affection is exceedingly firm.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Adjacent-class pairings also give joy

नीचस्य निरपेक्षेण मध्यमस्यापि तेन चेत् । मध्यमेनोत्तमस्यापि सम्बन्धो मोददः स्मृतः ॥ १२ ॥

If the low one is joined with the indifferent, or the middling one too with that same (indifferent) one, or the best one with the middling — such a relationship too is said to give joy.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — The superior party should have the higher guṇa

वरवध्वोर्वरः श्रेष्ठः स्वामी चापि स्वसेवकात् । गुणतस्तर्हि सौख्यं स्याद् वैपरीत्ये विपर्ययः ॥ १३ ॥

Of bridegroom and bride, the bridegroom should be superior; and so too the master above his own servant. Then, by virtue of the guṇas, there is happiness; in the contrary case, the reverse.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — The four causes of a person's guṇa, in ascending strength

माता पिता जनुःकालः, संसर्गश्चोत्तरोत्तरम् । गुणेषु प्रबलो हेतु-रुत्तमादिषु जायते ॥ १४ ॥

Mother, father, the time of birth, and association — each successively — become the stronger cause among the guṇas in producing the best type and the rest.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — Birth-time as the composite indicator; instruction to discriminate

जन्मकालसमस्तस्माद् गुणः सञ्जायते जने । विविच्यैवं सदा विज्ञैर्विज्ञेयं सदसत्फलम् ॥ १५ ॥

Therefore the guṇa that arises in a person is in accord with the time of birth. Discriminating in this way, the wise should always ascertain the good and evil results.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — Kāla as destroyer, protector and creator of beings

भूतानामन्तकृत् कालः पालकः सृष्टिकारकः । ईशः समस्तलोकाना-मक्षयो व्यापकः प्रभुः ॥ १६ ॥

Kāla (Time) is the ender of beings, their protector, and the maker of creation; He is the lord of all the worlds, imperishable, all-pervading, the sovereign.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 16

Śloka 17 — Prakṛti as His threefold-guṇa power; the unmanifest becoming manifest

शक्तिस्तदीया प्रकृतिः गुणत्रययुता मता । विभाजितस्तयाऽव्यक्तो व्यक्तीभवति जन्तुषु ॥ १७ ॥

His power is held to be Prakṛti, endowed with the three guṇas. Divided by her, the Unmanifest becomes manifest in living beings.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 17

Śloka 18 — His limbs correspond to the guṇas; hence four classes of people

गुणानुसारतस्तस्य स्युरङ्गानि ततो जनाः । उत्तमो मध्यमश्चैव-मनपेक्षोऽधमस्तथा ॥ १८ ॥

His limbs exist in accordance with the guṇas, and from them arise people — the best, the middling, the indifferent, and likewise the lowest.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 18

Śloka 19 — The four kinds arise from His highest limbs downward

क्रमादुत्तममध्योदा-सीनाधमजना मुने । अङ्गानामुत्तमादित्वे जायन्ते तु चतुर्विधाः ॥ १९ ॥

O Muni (Maitreya)! In order — the best, the middling, the indifferent and the lowest people — the four kinds are born according as the limbs are the highest and so on.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 19

Śloka 20 — Identification of the limbs: head, chest, thighs, feet

उत्तमावयवो मूर्धा मध्यमावयवोऽप्युरः । निरपेक्षे तथैवोरू ज्ञेयः पादोऽवरो बुधैः ॥ २० ॥

The highest limb is the head, the middling limb the chest; for the indifferent, likewise, the thighs; and the lowest limb is to be known by the wise as the feet.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 20

Śloka 21 — Division of Kāla according to the guṇas produces distinctions in creation

गुणानुसारतः काल-विभेदस्तद्वशात् पुनः । जातो भेदस्तु विप्रेन्द्र ! चराचरगतो भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥

O best of Brāhmaṇas (Maitreya)! According to the guṇas there is a differentiation of Kāla, and by force of that, again, the distinction arises that pervades the moving and unmoving world.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 21

Śloka 22 — The fourfold Lord Kāla created this fourfold world

गुणानुसारतः कालो व्यापको भगवान् प्रभुः । चतुर्विधो जगदिदं ससर्ज तु चतुर्विधम् ॥ २२ ॥

In accordance with the guṇas, the all-pervading Lord Kāla, the sovereign, being himself fourfold, created this world as fourfold.

BPHS Adhyāya 77, śloka 22