O son of Bharata, the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness; passion conditions one to fruitive action; and ignorance, covering one’s knowledge, binds one to madness.
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada
A person in the mode of goodness is satisfied by his work or intellectual pursuit, just as a philosopher, scientist or educator may be engaged in a particular field of knowledge and may be satisfied in that way. A man in the mode of passion may be engaged in fruitive activity; he owns as much as he can and spends for good causes. Sometimes he tries to open hospitals, give to charity institutions, etc. These are signs of one in the mode of passion. And the mode of ignorance covers knowledge. In the mode of ignorance, whatever one does is good neither for him nor for anyone.
Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
The Lord summarizes what he has just said in this verse. Sattva subjugates or binds the jiva who is attached to the happiness he has achieved from his actions. Rajas binds the jiva- who is attached to the actions he performs. Tamas binds the jiva who is inattentive to his works, and produces ignorance in him (jnanam avrtya).
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