तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥ ८ ॥
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
Translation
But know tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings. It binds, O Bharat, through carelessness, laziness and sleep.
Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)
हे भारत! तमोगुण को अज्ञान से उत्पन्न और सब देहधारियों को मोहित करने वाला जानो। वह प्रमाद, आलस्य और निद्रा के द्वारा बाँधता है।
Commentary
Tamas is heaviness and dullness. Its three ropes are pramada (carelessness, neglecting what matters), alasya (laziness) and nidra (excessive sleep or mental fog). Sattva binds with pleasant things and rajas with exciting ones; tamas binds by simply switching awareness off.