Lord Krishna states that sattva or the mode of goodness being transparent, stainlesss, and luminous is free from the propensity for evil and thus is serene. Yet being serene binds the jivas or embodied beings as well by attachment to its effect of happiness. As well being luminous binds the jivas by attachment to its effect of knowledge. The understanding is that the happiness one feels and the knowledge one has achieved gives one the corresponding mental states of I am happy and I am wise respectively and gives rise to the jiva identifying themselves with the temporary physical body and not with the atma or immortal soul.

The characteristics given by Lord Krishna of sattva or the mode of goodness within the three gunas or modes of material nature is that it is pure and lucid and shines brightly. Purity and clarity is that which negates obscuration of brightness and happiness. As illumination and happiness can only result from sattva it is understood to be their cause. The word prakasakam means illuminates, enlightens, reveals the exact knowledge of. The word anamayam means of peaceful quality, that which has no inherent cause for producing discomfort, pain or sickness denoting that sattva is the cause of good health. The quality of sattva produces in the jiva or embodied being the predisposition for happiness and knowledge. When the dispositions for happiness and knowledge arise in life one embarks upon such worldly material enterprises and spiritual pursuits as correlates to the level of one's developement and evolution. Hence the jiva is propelled to take birth in such wombs that are favorably suited fot the enjoyment of one's karma or resultant reactions to actions which arising out of sattva are positive. Born in sattva the inclinations and disposition that one has again gravitates towrds happiness and knowledge and in this way lifetime by lifetime in sattva guna the mode of goodness one has the opportunity to advance in spiritual life. But this opportunity is not accessible to those born in the two inferior gunas of rajas or passion and tamas or ignorance as will be described next.

In order to delineate the characteristics and types of bondage associated collectively and individually to the three gunas or modes of material nature. Lord Krishna begins in three verses first with sattva the mode of goodness and in the next two verses rajas or passion and tamas or ignorance. The quality of sattva is immaculate , it illuminates and is lucid like a crystal. It is devoid of the propensity to veil or cover happiness or knowledge and it possesses tranquillity and equipoise. Although sattva is imbued with such good qualities it still binds the jiva or embodied being through attachment to happiness and knowledge which keeps the identification with the physical body strong inducing feelings of I feel happiness, I am knowledgeable and so on. This entices one to seek accomplishments of greater and greater deeds and experience the rewards of their result .