BG 18.39

And that happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to end and which arises from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.

18.39. The happiness which, [both] at the beginning and subseently, is of the nature of deluding the Self; and which results from sleep, indolence and heedleness-that is stated to be of the Tamas (Strand).

18.39 While the pleasure which from first to last merely drugs the senses, which springs from indolence, lethargy and folly - that pleasure flows from Ignorance.

18.36-39 Sukham etc. upto udahrtam. At its time : at the time of its practice (use). Like poison (1st) : Because it is extremely difficult to give up the attachment for sense-objects cultivated during hundreds of [previous] life-periods. That has been said in the revealed literature as : '[The path of sprituality] is the edge of a razor, painful and difficult to cross over etc.' The serenity of intellect (or mind) results from serenity in the Self, as there exists nothing else to be aspired for. The [Rajasic] happiness springs from the mutual contact between the sense-objects and senses, just as in the case of the eye due to its contact with colur. That happiness which is due to sleep, indolence and heedlessness, explained earlier, is of the Tamas (Strand).

18.39 Pleasure of the Tamasika type causes delusion to the self at the beginning and the end of enjoyment. Here 'delusion' means the absence of knowledge about things as they are. Pleasure springing from sleep, sloth and error are the cause of it. Even at the time of experience, sleep etc., are the cause of delusion. It is clear how sleep causes delusion. 'Sloth' is indolence in sensory operations. When sensory activities are slow, dimness of knowledge results. 'Error' is heedlessness regarding what ought to be done. From this also occurs the dimness of knowledge. Thus, these two also cause delusion. Such pleasure is declared to be Tamasika. Therefore what is meant is this: subduing Rajas and Tamas, the Sattva alone should be allowed to develop by the aspirant for relase.

18.39 That joy is udahrtam, said to be; tamasam, born of tamas; yat, which; both agre, in the beginning; ca, and; anubandhe, in the seel, after the end (of enjoyment); is mohanam, delusive; atmanah, to oneself; and nidra-alasya-pramada-uttham, arises from sleep, laziness and inadvertence. Therefore, now is begun a verse in order to conclude this section [The section showing that all things in the whole of creation are under the influence of the three gunas.].

18.39 That pleasure which, at the beginning and at the end, deludes the self, through sleep, sloth and error - is declared to be Tamasika.

18.39 That joy is said to be born of tams which, both in the beginning and in the seel, is delusive to oneself and arises from sleep, laziness and inadvertence.