Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

Chapter 14: The Three Divisions of Material Nature (Guṇatraya-vibhÄga-yoga). Text 10

rajas tamaÅ› chÄbhibhÅ«ya sattvaá¹ bhavati bhÄrata rajaḥ sattvaá¹ tamaÅ› chaiva tamaḥ sattvaá¹ rajas tathÄ [10]

(he) bhÄrata–O Arjuna; sattvam–the mode of goodness; bhavati–appears; abhibhÅ«ya–defeating; rajaḥ tamaḥ cha–the modes of passion and ignorance. rajaḥ–The mode of passion; (bhavati)–appears; (abhibhÅ«ya)–defeating; sattvam tamaḥ eva cha–goodness and ignorance too. tathÄ–Similarly; tamaḥ–ignorance; (abhibhÅ«ya bhavati)–defeats; sattvam rajaḥ–goodness and passion. [10]


Text

O BhÄrat, goodness overcomes passion and ignorance, passion overcomes goodness and ignorance,and ignorance overcomes goodness and passion. Each mode in turn defeats the others in an unending battle for supremacy.

Purport