BG 14.8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥
tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata
Word-for-word meanings
viddhi — know; tamaḥ — tamas; tu — however; ajñāna-jam — to be the source of ignorance; mohanam — the deluder; sarva-dehinām — of all embodied beings; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata; tat — it [tamas]; nibadhnāti — binds fast; pramāda — [by] carelessness; ālasya — lethargy; nidrābhiḥ — [and] sleep.
Translation
Know tamas, however, to be the source of ignorance*, the deluder of all embodied beings. O descendant of Bharata, it binds fast through carelessness, lethargy, and sleep.
Notes
* The literal meaning here is that tamas is born of ignorance. This means that tamas is known by the presence of ignorance. In that sense, it is said to be born of ignorance, although ignorance is the outcome of tamas.