Tamas
तमस्नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter) · तम् धातु (tam — to be still, fade) + अस् प्रत्यय
tamas
Guṇas
Darkness, inertia, ignorance — the third guṇa
Tamas is the third of the three guṇas that make up prakṛti. It represents inertia, darkness, and stagnation. It manifests as laziness, apathy, confusion, and excessive sleep. It is not 'bad' in itself — without tamas there would be no restorative sleep or material stability. The problem is its excess. The direct antidote is rajas (activity), then sattva (clarity).
Using this in academic work? Get formal citation
Vishva Vidya (2026). Tamas (तमस्). Vishva Vidya — Vedanta. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/tamas
Vishva Vidya. "Tamas (तमस्)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026, https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/tamas.
Vishva Vidya. "Tamas (तमस्)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/tamas.
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