How has a sadhaka to resolve the three gunas on his spiritual journey ?
The three gunas (qualities of the mind) have to be transcended one after the other, thamas (lethargy) being transmuted into rajas (passionate activity) and rajas into sathwa and sathwa (serenity and poise) too, at last into characteristiclessness. The gunas bind man and leave 'impressions'. Thamas is like the worms that creep and crawl in offal; rajas is like the fly that sits on foul things as well as fair; sathwa is like the bee that visits only fragrant flowers. But all three are drawn towards objects, whereas one should be free from all traces of attachment. When hearts are infested with flies and worms, the spray of Namasmarana has to be used for disinfecting the place. (SSS Vol 4, pg 133)