The eighty-sixth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India’s most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.
In this talk, beginning with Chapter 18:29, Swamiji discusses three types of intellect according to the gunas: sattwa, rajas, and tamas, as well as three types of firmness of intellect. These spiritual teachings will help in your spiritual growth and your practice of yoga and meditation.
For those wishing to make a deeper study of the Gita, Swamiji’s commentary on the Gita, The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening: A Practical Commentary for Leading a Successful Spiritual Life can be found at Amazon.com.
Here are the Gita verses (18:29–18:35) covered in this talk:
Now hear the three kinds of intellect and steadfastness according to the gunas, set forth completely and severally. (18:29)
That intellect which knows the paths of work and renunciation, when to act and when not to act, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, bondage and liberation, is sattwic. (18:30)
That intellect which incorrectly understands dharma and adharma, what should be done and what should not be done, is rajasic. (18:31)
That intellect enveloped in darkness, regarding adharma as dharma, and seeing all things pervertedly (turned backward: that is, seeing all things completely opposite to their true nature or state), is tamasic. (18:32)
That firmness of intellect or purpose by which through yoga the functions of the mind, the vital force (prana) and the senses are restrained, is sattwic. (18:33)
But that firmness by which one holds to dharma, enjoyment and wealth from attachment and desire for the fruits of action, is rajasic. (18:34)
That firmness by which a stupid person does not abandon sleep, fear, depression and arrogance, is tamasic. (18:35)
Here are the main points from this talk Three Types of Intellect:
🧠 Three Types of Intellect (Buddhi)
Sattwic Intellect:
- Clearly understands what should and should not be done.
- Knows the difference between action and renunciation, bondage and liberation, right and wrong.
- Grounded in reality, inner clarity, and moral discernment.
- Essential for liberation (moksha) and rooted in yoga sadhana.
Rajasic Intellect:
- Confused and passionate.
- Mistakes adharma for dharma.
- Often driven by desire, ego, and self-interest.
- Does the wrong thing sincerely but without understanding.
Tamasic Intellect:
- Completely inverted: calls evil good and good evil.
- Justifies delusion and wrongdoing as righteousness.
- Lives in darkness, stubbornly refuses to change.
- Example: those who use fear-based religion, or sabotage others out of pride or negativity.
🧘 Three Types of Steadfastness (Dhriti)
Sattwic Steadfastness:
- Controls mind, prana, and senses through yoga.
- Not mere suppression—true mastery and transmutation.
- Leads to purification and spiritual freedom.
Rajasic Steadfastness:
- Clings to pleasure, duty, and wealth out of attachment and ego.
- Motivated by desire for results and personal gain.
Tamasic Steadfastness:
- Refuses to abandon sleep, fear, depression, and arrogance.
- Inertia, victim mentality, and self-pity define this state.
- Often cloaked in false spirituality or rigid delusion.
✨ Key Insights
- The Gita provides a diagnostic tool for inner transformation—not to judge others, but to understand ourselves.
- True intellect is not about cleverness, but clarity, sincerity, and right direction.
- •Real strength comes not from repression but from yogic mastery and inward purity.
Below is an audio version of this talk from our Gita Talks Podcast
Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke)
Swami Nirmalananda Giri, founder of Light of the Spirit Monastery, has spent over six decades immersed in the study and practice of Yoga and and the spiritual traditions of East and West. He is the author of more than 30 books on meditation, practical spiritual life and Sanatana Dharma. Learn more »
