Triguni

Triguni is a board game designed by considering three modes of nature (i.e. three Guna – Satva, Rajas and Tamas) under the influence of which all living beings are controlled. It is based on the fact that living beings in their original form are blissful but after getting illusioned by the material nature, undertakes good, bad and in-between reactions. There is a jovial story of how Indra the King of The Gods being cursed to become a pig and starts enjoying the pig-life. As he identifies himself with the pig, he does not want to return to heaven believing that life of a pig is the epitome of happiness!

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः ।

निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥ १४.५ ॥

Material nature consists of the three modes – goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes. [B.G. 14.5]

In Triguni game play, each player represents a living entity and their choices during the play will decide in which mode they continue, degrade or elevate with their own choices and little bit of luck that a dice throw brings to them. As with any living being the game starts with the player in a particular mode, s/he does not have the choice of opting for the favorite one. Just like in real life we get all the good and bad reactions as per our Karmas of present and past lives, the game brings the players in respective modes as per the choices made by players. The goal is to keep moving, strive to elevate from all the three modes of nature and break free from infinite loop of these modes.

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् ।

जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ १४.२० ॥

When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life. [B.G. 14.20]

The game comes with few collectible assets as game cards and every player should wisely utilize the given fund for the limited predictable future for the given mode. A wrong move and the player either degrades to a lower mode or loses the chance to elevate to a higher consciousness. Along with the usual points assigned to each card they showcase selected slokas from scriptures (Puranas & Smriti).

The winner is the one who without indulging much into the present state, strives for a higher consciousness by strategically utilizing the given chance and resources at hand, first!