śrīmad bhagavadgītā - trividha karma
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam |
aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate || 18.23 ||
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ |
kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tad rājasam udāhṛtam || 18.24 ||
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṃ hiṃsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam |
mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate || 18.25 ||
Re-ordered word-by-word meaning
tat karma ucyate sāttvikam - that work is called pure, balanced,
yat kṛtam - which is performed
niyataṁ - as prescribed (as one's duty to self and mankind)
saṅga-rahitam - without attachment to the tasks or results.
arāga-dveṣataḥ - without passion and hatred, (like and dislike*)
aphala-prepsunā - without any incentive of personal gains.
tu yat karma kriyate kāmepsunā -But that work done out of one's desires,
sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ - or out of ego and self-aggrandisement,
bahulāyāsaṃ - with much pomp and sweat,
tad udāhṛtam rājasam - that is held out as work done out of passion and desire.
tat karma ucyate tāmasam - (Finally) that work is called work done out of ignorance and mindlessness,
yat anapekṣya anubandhaṁ - which is done without regard to consequences and side-effects,
kṣayaṃ hiṃsām - without regard to damage done to things and people, irrespective of violence inflicted on others,
ca pauruṣam - and without considering one's ability to perform the task undertaken,
ārabhyate mohād- and begun out of delusion or infatuation.
Swami Tejomayananda expounded these shlokas yesterday. He emphasized that since everyone has a bit of all the three gunas, and they influence our actions from time to time, this analysis will help us to see where we are going wrong, and what is happening around us.
PS:
We can see the Gandhian principle reflects the spirit of Bhagavan Krishna's advice with regard to work. '
A lot of political and business leaders can be seen to be busy with Rajasic and Tamasic work.
Finally the entire mankind can be seen heedlessly plunging the planet into ecological disaster out of a way of life and so-called development that is truly Tamasic.'
Note: A study of the Gita would clarify that Arjuna was extolled to take up the righteous war as a Sattvic duty, and not with a Tamasic attitude.
*post edit, thanks to Sri. K V Chellappa).
