As long as we could face the problems, we would go on and on joyfully. When it taxes us much beyond our capacity, we run away. This capacity, or forbearance varies from person to person. If it is least, we have great resistance. The ‘TAMAS’ is characterized by ‘resistance to action’ laziness, drowsiness, sleep, etc., at physical level and resistance to thinking and analysis at mental level which makes us not to act, not to think. It is an incapacity, dullness or insensitivity in us that urges us not to work or face the problems. Each and every one of us is governed by tamas. But only the degree varies. Lower the tamas, lesser the resistance to act . This enslavement to tamas is the highest bondage in us and limits our growth. Thus by lowering tamas, we can face problems better.

But we know the power of laziness. We often say ‘ignorance is Bliss’. There is happiness in laziness, drowsiness, dullness and insensitivity. It is this happiness that characterises ignorance and makes tamas so powerful in our lives. There is a constant struggle in our lives to leave tamas for growth on one hand and not to come out of it due to its bliss on the other hand. Most of us are happy to be lazy throughout our lives we keep running away from action and responsibilities. This is the undeveloped phase of our lives.

Insensitive to the core, dull to the roots, such of us neither understand nor care for the problems around us. Steeped in eating, drinking, sleeping and procreating, we lead a life like animals. We react and respond to either threats or our basic desires only. As such, normally we run away from action. We are thus unconcerned and happy, though we are in bondage and in slavery. We are even ignorant of this.

However, we cannot progress materially if we continue to be dwelling in tamas. The external influences would soon pull us out. Either we are forced to come out of tamas or we come out of it by being attracted by sense pleasures.

The Sastras, (the books of the wise yoga masters) also are very clear in their injunctions that shattering of tamas is the eligibility