धर्मो रजस्तमो हन्यात् सत्त्ववृद्धिरनुत्तम: । आशु नश्यति तन्मूलो ह्यधर्म उभये हते ॥ ३ ॥
dharmo rajas tamo hanyāt sattva-vṛddhir anuttamaḥ āśu naśyati tan-mūlo hy adharma ubhaye hate
- dharmaḥ
- religious principles based on devotional service
- rajaḥ
- the mode of passion
- tamaḥ
- the mode of ignorance
- hanyāt
- destroy
- sattva
- of goodness
- vṛddhiḥ
- by the increase
- anuttamaḥ
- the greatest
- āśu
- quickly
- naśyati
- is destroyed
- tat
- of passion and ignorance
- mūlaḥ
- the root
- hi
- certainly
- adharmaḥ
- irreligion
- ubhaye hate
- when both are destroyed
Religious principles, strengthened by the mode of goodness, destroy the influence of passion and ignorance. When passion and ignorance are overcome, their original cause, irreligion, is quickly vanquished.