# Three Modes > [!summary] > *The material world operates through three modes (*guṇas*)—goodness (*sattva*), passion (*rajas*), and ignorance (*tamas*). These analogies illuminate how the modes affect the soul.* ## Colored Glass ### Conditioning Perception The three modes are like colored glass through which the soul perceives reality—goodness is clear, passion is red, ignorance is dark. ![[sb/11/25/29#purport|glass]] —SB [[sb/11/25/29|11.25.29]] Purport ## Ropes Binding ### Modes as Bondage The three modes are compared to ropes—each binds the soul differently. Goodness binds with attachment to happiness, passion with attachment to action, ignorance with attachment to sleep. ![[bg/14/5|ropes]] —Bg. [[bg/14/5|14.5]] See also: [[bg/14/6-7|Bg. 14.6-7]], [[bg/14/8|Bg. 14.8]] ## Food Types ### Quality Affects Consciousness Just as different foods nourish differently—sattvic food promotes clarity, rajasic food agitates, tamasic food dulls—the modes affect consciousness similarly. ![[bg/17/8-10#purport|food]] —Bg. [[bg/17/8-10|17.8-10]] Purport ## Fire, Smoke, and Soot ### Degrees of Covering The modes cover knowledge differently: goodness is like fire covered by smoke, passion is like a mirror covered by dust, ignorance is like an embryo covered by the womb. ![[bg/3/38|fire]] —Bg. [[bg/3/38|3.38]] ## Elevator Levels ### Rising and Falling The modes are like elevator levels—goodness takes one up toward liberation, passion keeps one on the middle level, ignorance takes one down to lower conditions. ![[bg/14/18#purport|elevator]] —Bg. [[bg/14/18|14.18]] Purport ## Masters Competing ### Modes Fight for Dominance The three modes are like three masters competing for control—whichever dominates determines one's behavior, thinking, and destination. ![[bg/14/10#purport|masters]] —Bg. [[bg/14/10|14.10]] Purport ## Prison Guard Types ### Different Kinds of Bondage Goodness, passion, and ignorance are like three types of prison guards—golden chains (goodness), iron chains (passion), and ropes (ignorance) still bind the prisoner. ![[sb/4/29/35#purport|chains]] —SB [[sb/4/29/35|4.29.35]] Purport ## Thread Colors ### Mixed to Create Diversity The three modes are like primary thread colors woven together—their various combinations create all the diversity of material existence. ![[sb/3/26/23-24#purport|thread]] —SB [[sb/3/26/23-24|3.26.23-24]] Purport *Complete reference: [[index/entries/analogies|Analogies Index]]* *See also: [[wiki/analogies/bondage|Bondage]], [[wiki/analogies/karma|Karma]], [[wiki/analogies/material-world|Material World]]*