Srila Prabhupada:

sthitam sattve prasidati^[1]

Everyone wants happiness, peace of mind. How it is possible? That is explained here:

ceta etair anaviddham

Everything is within the heart. So we are being [indistinct] by the rajas, tamas. Rajas means passion, desire for material enjoyment, and tamas means ignorance. Neither enjoyment nor knowledge. Just like animal. Animals have no material enjoyment, neither he has knowledge. So similarly, persons who are infected by the tamo-guna, they do not know what is the meaning of life, neither are they interested. People are becoming affected by this tamo-guna. Therefore even in this Western country they are turning to the hippies. No material enjoyment, no spiritual knowledge — simply in darkness.

So if we develop Krishna consciousness, just the process of hearing—

srnvatam sva-kathah krishnah^[2]

if we simply practice the process of hearing about Krishna, then gradually the darkness of ignorance and passion will disappear.

ceto-darpana-marjanam

bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam^[3]

We are suffering in this material life on account of these three modes of material nature, especially the modes of passion and ignorance. But here is the process how to get out of these modes of passion and ignorance especially. Also material goodness. Sometimes material goodness is also a cause of bondage. A person falsely thinks that “Now I have become a brahmana,” or “I have got a sacred thread; therefore my business is finished. Now I can do anything. It doesn’t matter.” That is also another bondage. You have to still advance. Even if you… The brahmanas… Actually, a brahmana does not think like that, that “because I have got this sacred thread, my business is finished.” We offer the sacred thread, but don’t make your business finished there. There is further progressive life. After becoming brahmana, one has to become a Vaisnava.

This process of Krishna consciousness… Just as we shall initiate several of our disciples, the first initiation and the second initiation. The first initiation is to give chance of chanting Hare Krishna. The beads are there, and the initiated members we will advise to refrain from sinful activities, and in pure heart chant Hare Krishna. Not in pure heart — heart is already polluted — but offenseless.

There are ten kinds of offenses; that will be explained. The first offense is

guror avajna sruti-sastra-nindanam^[4].

There are ten kinds of offenses. Our…, some of our disciples are going to be initiated. They should always remember how to avoid the offenses. Of course, in the beginning, the offenses are there, but if we try to avoid them, then there will be namabhasa. Namabhasa means almost pure chanting of the holy name. That is called namabhasa. And if you attain the state of namabhasa, you’ll become immediately liberated. And then, when you can chant the suddha holy name, pure, uncontaminated by the material modes of nature, then you will develop your love of Krishna.

So here it is stated, rajas-tamo-bhavah: we are afflicted with three kinds of the modes of nature. So, out of the three, two are very dangerous. What are they? Rajas tamas, passion and ignorance. The whole material world is going on on the basis of these two qualities, passion and ignorance. What are the symptoms of passion?

[1] Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19

[2] Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.17

[3] Siksastaka 1

[4] Padma Purana, Brahma Khanḍa 25.15-18

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