118 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 2
in the mode of ignorance; tu—but; rajah—the mode of passion; tasmat—
from that; sattvam—the mode of goodness; yat—which; brahma—the
Absolute Truth; dargsanam—realization.
TRANSLATION

Coal [firewood] is better than raw wood, and fire is even better, for
fire is the soul of Vedic sacrifice. Similarly passion [rajas] is better than
ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one
can come to realize the Absolute Truth [ Brahman].

PURPORT

As explained above, one can get release from the conditioned life of
material existence by devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. It
is further comprehended herein that one has to rise up to the platform of
the mode of goodness (sattva) so that one can be eligible for the devotional
service of the Lord. But if there are impediments on the progressive path,
anyone, even from the platform of tamas, can gradually rise up to the
sattva platform by the expert direction of the spiritual master. Sincere
candidates must, therefore, approach an expert spiritual master for such
a progressive march, and the bona fide expert spiritual master is competent
to direct a disciple from any stage of life: tamas, rajas or sattva.

It is a mistake, therefore, to consider that worship of any quality or any
form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equally beneficial. Except
Visnu, all separated forms are manifested under the conditions of material
energy, and therefore the forms of material energy cannot help anyone to
rise to the platform of sattva, which alone can liberate a person from the
material bondage.

The uncivilized state of life, or the life of the lower animals, is con-
trolled by the modes of tamas. The civilized life of man, with a passion for
various types of material benefits, is the stage of rajas. The rajas stage of
life gives a slight clue to the realization of the Absolute Truth in the forms
of fine sentiments in philosophy, art and culture with moral and ethical
principles, but the mode of sattva is a still higher stage of material quality,
which actually helps one in realizing the Absolute Truth. In other words,
there is a qualitative difference between the different kinds of worshiping
methods as well as the respective results derived from the predominating
deities, namely Brahma, Visnu and Hara.
