Chapter 14 - Verse 16

कर्मणः सुकृतस्याहुः सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् ।
रजसस्तु फलं दुःखमज्ञानं तमसः फलम् ॥ १६ ॥

karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam .
rajasastu phalaṃ duḥkhamajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam .. 16 ..


The fruit of good action, they say, is Sattvic † and pure; while the fruit of Rajas is pain, and ignorance is the fruit of Tamas.

i.e., brought about by Sattva; devoid of impurities such as may arise from Rajas and Tamas.—A.

Read the commentary

Good action : Sattvic action. They : the wise. Rajas means Rajasic action, as this section treats of actions. The fruit of Rajasic actions is only pain, which is Rajasic : for, the effect should be consonant with the cause. Tamas means Tamasic action, a-dharma or sin.

The functions of the gunas summed up.

And what arises from the gunas?