[Advaita-l] tamoguna

[Michael Shepherd]

I'd like to raise the question of tamoguna.

Like most people, I guess, I at first accepted the standard dictionat
definition that sattwa is the quality of goodness and knowledge; rajas, the
energy of action; and tamas, inertia and darkness.

Then later I was introduced to the idea (and I'm asking for any source texts
here) that there were two aspects to each guna : divine and demonic. So that
'demonic sattwa', kashaya,  is illusory goodness and knowledge (as anyone
who has been to California will rcognise..); 'demonic rajas', vikshepa, is
destructive agitation; and 'divine tamas' has something of Shiva : the
divine measure of things which gives shape to all actions; and mal is the
demonic 'inertia and darkness'' normally agttributed to tamas, without
distinction.

This seems to me to be an insult to tamas, if its divine aspect is not
acknowledged..

I hope for comments and source texts on this matter.

Michael