Bg 18.23
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam
aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate
Bg 18.24
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ
kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam
Bg 18.25
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam
mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate
Translation
23. An "action" which is ordained, which is free from attachment, which is done without love or hatred, by one who is not desirous of the fruit, that action is declared to be SATTWIC (pure).
24. But that "action" which is done by one, longing for desires, or gain, done with egoism, or with much effort, is declared to be RAJASIC (Passionate).
25. That "action" which is undertaken from delusion, without regard for the consequence, loss, injury, and ability, is declared to be TAMASIC (dull).
Commentary
Having so far explained the three types of "knowledge," Krishna now classifies "actions" (Karma) under the same three heads. A Sattwic "action" is the best, productive of peace within and harmony without the field of activity, and therefore, it is the purest of the three types of "action." It is an obligatory action (Niyatam), a work that is undertaken for the work's own sake, in an attitude that work itself is worship. Such activities chasten the personality and are ever performed in a spirit of inspiration. Inspired activities naturally surpass the very excellence the actor or the doer is ordinarily capable of. Such an activity is always undertaken without any attachment (Sanga-rahitam) and without any anxiety for gaining any definite end. It is a dedicated activity of love, and yet, it is not propelled by either love or hatred.
The missionary work undertaken by all prophets and sages are examples in point. We too can recognise the same type of work, which we unconsciously perform on some rare occasions. A typical example that can at this moment be remembered is an individual nursing his own wounded limb. As soon as, say, your left toe strikes against some furniture in the house and gets wounded, the entire body bends down to nurse it. Herein, there is neither any special love for the left leg nor any particular extra attachment for it, as compared with other parts of the body. To an individual the whole body is himself, and all parts are equally important; he pervades his whole body.
In the same fashion, an individual with a Sattwic intellect that has recognised the All-pervading One, lives in the Consciousness of the One Reality that permeates the whole universe, and therefore, to him the leper and the prince, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor are so many different parts of his own spiritual personality only. Such an individual serves the world in a sense of self-fulfilment and inspired joy.
Summarising, a Sattwic Karma is a humane action, performed without any attachment, and not motivated either by likes (Raga) or dislikes (Dvesha), and undertaken without any desire to enjoy the results thereof. The "action" itself is its fulfilment; a Sattwic man acts, because to remain without doing service is a choking death to him. Such a man of Sattwic "action" alone is a true Brahmana.
WHAT IS RAJASIC ACTION?
The "action" of the 'passionate' (Rajasic) is that which is undertaken to win one's desires with an extremely insistent "I-act" mentality. Always such undertakings are works of heavy toil involving great strain, and all the consequent physical fatigue and mental exhaustion. The individual is impelled to act and struggle by a well-defined and extremely arrogant ego-sense. He works, generally under tension and strain, since he comes to believe that he alone can perform it and nobody else will ever help him. All the time he is exhausted with his own anxieties and fears at the thought whether his goal will ever be achieved, if at all. When an individual works thus with an arrogant ego, and with all its self-centredness, he becomes restless enough to make himself totally exhausted and completely shattered. Such "actions" belong to the category of the passionate (Rajasic).
All activities of political leaders, social workers, great industrialists, over-anxious parents, fanatic preachers, proselytising missionaries and blind money-makers, when they are at their best, are examples of this type.
THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF ACTIONS OF THE "DULL TYPE" ARE DESCRIBED HEREUNDER:
The "actions" (Karma) of the 'dull' type (Tamasic) are performed without any consideration for the consequences thereof, without any regard for their loss of power or vitality. Such actors never care for the loss or injury caused to others by their actions, nor do they pay any attention to their own status and ability, when they act. All such careless and irresponsible "actions" (Karma s) undertaken merely because of some delusory misconception of the goal, fall under the Tamasic type. Habits of drinking, reckless gambling, corruption, etc., are all examples of the dull (Tamasic) "actions."
Such people have no regard for the consequences of their actions. Ere long, they lose their vitality, and injure all those who are depending upon them. They surrender their dignity and status, their capacities and subtle faculties --- all for the sake of their pursuit of a certain delusory goal in life. All they demand is a temporary joy of some sense gratification and a tickling satisfaction of some fancy of the hour.
"Actions" of this type (Tamasic) immediately provide the performer with a substantial dividend of sorrow. Rajasic "action" comparatively takes a longer time to bring its quota of disappointments and sorrows, while Sattwic "action" is always steady and blissful.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam
aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate
Bg 18.24
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ
kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam
Bg 18.25
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam
mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate
Translation
23. An "action" which is ordained, which is free from attachment, which is done without love or hatred, by one who is not desirous of the fruit, that action is declared to be SATTWIC (pure).
24. But that "action" which is done by one, longing for desires, or gain, done with egoism, or with much effort, is declared to be RAJASIC (Passionate).
25. That "action" which is undertaken from delusion, without regard for the consequence, loss, injury, and ability, is declared to be TAMASIC (dull).
Commentary
Having so far explained the three types of "knowledge," Krishna now classifies "actions" (Karma) under the same three heads. A Sattwic "action" is the best, productive of peace within and harmony without the field of activity, and therefore, it is the purest of the three types of "action." It is an obligatory action (Niyatam), a work that is undertaken for the work's own sake, in an attitude that work itself is worship. Such activities chasten the personality and are ever performed in a spirit of inspiration. Inspired activities naturally surpass the very excellence the actor or the doer is ordinarily capable of. Such an activity is always undertaken without any attachment (Sanga-rahitam) and without any anxiety for gaining any definite end. It is a dedicated activity of love, and yet, it is not propelled by either love or hatred.
The missionary work undertaken by all prophets and sages are examples in point. We too can recognise the same type of work, which we unconsciously perform on some rare occasions. A typical example that can at this moment be remembered is an individual nursing his own wounded limb. As soon as, say, your left toe strikes against some furniture in the house and gets wounded, the entire body bends down to nurse it. Herein, there is neither any special love for the left leg nor any particular extra attachment for it, as compared with other parts of the body. To an individual the whole body is himself, and all parts are equally important; he pervades his whole body.
In the same fashion, an individual with a Sattwic intellect that has recognised the All-pervading One, lives in the Consciousness of the One Reality that permeates the whole universe, and therefore, to him the leper and the prince, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor are so many different parts of his own spiritual personality only. Such an individual serves the world in a sense of self-fulfilment and inspired joy.
Summarising, a Sattwic Karma is a humane action, performed without any attachment, and not motivated either by likes (Raga) or dislikes (Dvesha), and undertaken without any desire to enjoy the results thereof. The "action" itself is its fulfilment; a Sattwic man acts, because to remain without doing service is a choking death to him. Such a man of Sattwic "action" alone is a true Brahmana.
WHAT IS RAJASIC ACTION?
The "action" of the 'passionate' (Rajasic) is that which is undertaken to win one's desires with an extremely insistent "I-act" mentality. Always such undertakings are works of heavy toil involving great strain, and all the consequent physical fatigue and mental exhaustion. The individual is impelled to act and struggle by a well-defined and extremely arrogant ego-sense. He works, generally under tension and strain, since he comes to believe that he alone can perform it and nobody else will ever help him. All the time he is exhausted with his own anxieties and fears at the thought whether his goal will ever be achieved, if at all. When an individual works thus with an arrogant ego, and with all its self-centredness, he becomes restless enough to make himself totally exhausted and completely shattered. Such "actions" belong to the category of the passionate (Rajasic).
All activities of political leaders, social workers, great industrialists, over-anxious parents, fanatic preachers, proselytising missionaries and blind money-makers, when they are at their best, are examples of this type.
THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF ACTIONS OF THE "DULL TYPE" ARE DESCRIBED HEREUNDER:
The "actions" (Karma) of the 'dull' type (Tamasic) are performed without any consideration for the consequences thereof, without any regard for their loss of power or vitality. Such actors never care for the loss or injury caused to others by their actions, nor do they pay any attention to their own status and ability, when they act. All such careless and irresponsible "actions" (Karma s) undertaken merely because of some delusory misconception of the goal, fall under the Tamasic type. Habits of drinking, reckless gambling, corruption, etc., are all examples of the dull (Tamasic) "actions."
Such people have no regard for the consequences of their actions. Ere long, they lose their vitality, and injure all those who are depending upon them. They surrender their dignity and status, their capacities and subtle faculties --- all for the sake of their pursuit of a certain delusory goal in life. All they demand is a temporary joy of some sense gratification and a tickling satisfaction of some fancy of the hour.
"Actions" of this type (Tamasic) immediately provide the performer with a substantial dividend of sorrow. Rajasic "action" comparatively takes a longer time to bring its quota of disappointments and sorrows, while Sattwic "action" is always steady and blissful.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
