प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye
bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī
TRANSLATION
That Buddhi, O Arjuna, which knows activity and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and release—that (Buddhi) is Sattvika.
PURPORT
‘Activity’ is that Dharma which is the means for worldly prosperity. ‘Renunciation’ is that Dharma which is the means for release. The Buddhi which knows both these as they are, is Sattviki-buddhi. Further, such a Buddhi is capable of distinguishing between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done by persons of different stations in life, having as their duty activity or renunciation at particular places or times. Such a Buddhi helps them to know ‘This ought to be done and this ought not to be done.’ Such a Buddhi discerns transgression of the Shastras as the cause of fear and observance of the Shastras as the cause of fearlessness. It enables one to distinguish between bondage and release, the true nature of Samsara and deliverance from it. The Buddhi that functions in these ways is Sattvika.
