Verse 17.12
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् | इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ||१२||
Transliteration (IAST)
abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api caiva yat | ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam ||12||
Word-by-Word Meanings
abhisandhāya-having in view
phalam-fruit/result
dambha-artham-for the sake of show
ijyate-is performed
bharata-śreṣṭha-O best of Bharatas
yajñam-sacrifice
rājasam-rajasic
Translation
But that sacrifice which is offered with expectation of reward or for the sake of display, O best of Bharatas - know that to be rajasic.
Commentary
Shankaracharya identifies two taints that make sacrifice rajasic: desire for results (phala) and ostentation (dambha). Madhva notes that even Vedic rituals become rajasic when performed with selfish motivation. The external form may be identical to sattvic sacrifice, but the inner intention determines its quality.
Themes
karmadharma