पार्थिवाद्दारुणो धूमस्तस्मादग्निस्त्रयीमय: । तमसस्तु रजस्तस्मात्सत्त्वं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २४ ॥
parthivad daruno dhumas tasmad agnis trayimayah tamasas tu rajas tasmat sattvam yad brahma-darsanam
- parthivat
- from earth
- darunah
- firewood
- dhumah
- smoke
- tasmat
- from that
- agnih
- fire
- trayi
- Vedic sacrifices
- mayah
- made of
- tamasah
- in the mode of ignorance
- tu
- but
- rajah
- the mode of passion
- tasmat
- from that
- sattvam
- the mode of goodness
- yat
- which
- brahma
- the Absolute Truth
- darsanam
- realization.
Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge (through Vedic sacrifices). Similarly, passion (rajas) is better than ignorance (tamas), but goodness (sattva) is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.