18-35

यया स्वप्नम् भयम् शोकम् विषादम् मदम् एव च ।
न विमुन्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥ ३५ ॥

yayA svapnam bhayam zokam viSAdam madam eva ca |
na vimuncati durmedhA dhRtiH sA pArtha tAmasI || 35 ||

पार्थ [pArtha] Arjuna, यया [yayA] the resolve by which दुर्मेधा [durmedhA] an ignorant person न विमुन्चति [na vimuncati] doesn’t give up स्वप्नम् [svapnam] drowsiness, भयम् [bhayam] fear, शोकम् [zokam] misery, विषादम् [viSAdam] dejection च [ca] and मदम् [madam] intoxication सा धृतिः [sA dhRtiH] - such resolve is तामसी [tAmasI] in tamas .

An ignorant person doesn’t give up activities that intentionally engage in being drowsy and intoxicated. The mind, body and the organs indulge in the experience of material things to end up in this state.

With a resolve that’s in tamas , such people keep getting sluggish and intoxicated. They don’t let-go, tending towards subjects that give fear, misery and dejection.

Such resolve is in tamas - it sustains activities that enhance fear, misery and dejection - be they activities of the mind, activities done using our organs or activities such as breathing.