The Great Sage Parasara said — O Brahmin! When the Satwa-guni planets (the Sun, the Moon and Jupiter) are predominant, the person born is Satwa guni and of good character. When Rajoguna (passion of love and pleasure) is predominant (that is, when Mercury and Venus are predominant), the person born is Rajoguni and intelligent. When the Tamo gun (attribute of darkness) is predominant (that is, when Mars and Saturn are predominant) the person born is stupid. When at the time of birth all the planets are of equal dominance the person has a mixture of all the attributes. The persons so born (creatures) are classified as Uttama (most excellent), Madhyama (of intermediate type), Adhama (despisable) and Udaseena (indifferent or neutral) in that order. Thus, there are four kinds of animate beings. I will relate their attributes which have been described by Narada and other sages.

अथो गुणवशेनाहं कथयामि फलं द्विज ! । सत्त्व ग्रहोदयो जातो भवेत्‌ सत्त्वाधिकः सुधीः । ।1।। पराशर बोले- अब मैं सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस् गुणों के आधार पर कथन करता हूँ । सत्त्वप्रकृति ग्रह का उदय हो अर्थात् बलवान् हो या उसकी दशादि हो तो मनुष्य सत्त्वगुण युक्त होता है ।