Samkhya Karika 25

सात्त्विक एकादशकः प्रवर्तते वैकृतादहङ्कारात् ।
भूतादेस्तन्मात्रः स तामसः, तैजसादुभयम् ॥ २५ ॥

sāttvika ekādaśakaḥ pravartate vaikṛtādahaṅkārāt ।
bhūtādestanmātraḥ sa tāmasaḥ, taijasādubhayam ॥ 25 ॥

sāttvikaḥ=dominated by sattva guna; ekādaśakaḥ=eleven-fold set; pravartate=proceeds; vaikṛtāt=from the Vaikrita (modified) form of; ahaṅkārāt=I-principle (ego); bhūtādeḥ=(proceed) from the Bhutadi form of ego; tanmātraḥ=five subtle elements; saḥ=that; tāmasaḥ=of the nature of guna tamas; taijasāt=from the Taijas (bright) form of ego – rajas guna; ubhayam=both

From the Vaikrita form of ahamkara proceeds the eleven-fold set characterized by sattva guna; from the Bhutadi form of ahamkara proceed the five subtle elements (tanmatras) characterized by the tamas guna. Both these proceed from the Taijas form of ahamkara characterized by the rajas guna.

From the form of ahamkara named as Vaikrita (literally, modified) by the ancient teachers proceeds the set of eleven sense organs (five organs of perception, five organs of action and the mind). In the vaikrita ahamkara, sattva guna is dominant. Dominance of sattva guna is essential:

• for the proper ascertainment by the buddhi (intellect) through the five organs of sense perception, and
• for initiating the proper motor action through the five organs of action
• for the manas (mind) to be able to interact with both these sets of five

From the form of ahamkara named as Bhutadi (literally, the gross elements etc.) by the scholars, in which tamas guna is dominant, proceeds the evolution of the five tanmatras (five subtle senses – smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing). As we know, each of the five tanmatras is responsible for the evolution of the corresponding gross elements. Compared to all the other elements, the gross elements are tamasic in nature. That is why their evolution is caused by the form of ahamkara dominated by tamas guna.

As we have seen before, both sattva and tamas are not able to perform any function without the help of rajas which abounds in action and mobility. The rajasic form of ahamkara named Taijas (liteally, bright) by the scholars is thus responsible for the evolution of both sattvic and rajasic branches as given above.