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Bhagavad Gita · 18.24 · Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender·24 of 78

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनःक्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम्

yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhankāreṇa vā

punaḥ kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛitam

Sanskrit recitation

What makes an action · 18.13–18.28 · Teaching

Translation

But that action which is done by one longing for the fulfillment of desires or gain with egotism or with much effort is declared to be Rajasic (passionate).

Meaning

A passionate man performs various selfish actions. He boasts of his actions in public. Passion prompts him to do them. He can never work without expectation of a reward.Kamepsuna, phalepsuna The Rajasic or passionate man expects pleasures as fruits of action. A liberated sage alone is absolutely free from egoism. He will not dream even of a reward for the action, because all his desires are gratified when he realises Brahman. He is an Aptakama. (Aptakamasya ka spriha) How can there be longing or craving in a sage in whom all desires are gratified or burnt by the fire of SelfknowledgeEven the performer of a pure act, who has no knowledge of the Self is egoistic. If such be the case, the Rajasic and Tamasic workers are much more egoistic. In worldly parlance we speak of a learned Pundit This Pundit is a very modest, unassuming, and egoless Brahmana.Now listen, O Arjuna, to the characteristics of action that is of darkness.

After Swami Sivananda

What makes an action· 18.13–18.28

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
tu
but
tat
that
or
yat
which
karma
action
kriyate
enacted
punaḥ
again
rājasam
in the nature of passion
udāhṛitam
is said to be
kāma-īpsunā
prompted by selfish desire
bahula-āyāsam
stressfully
sa-ahaṅkāreṇa
with pride

Related verses

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