Verse 18.23
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् | अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ||२३||
Transliteration (IAST)
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam | aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate ||23||
Word-by-Word Meanings
niyatam-prescribed/regulated
saṅga-rahitam-free from attachment
arāga-dveṣataḥ-without love or hatred
kṛtam-done
aphala-prepsunā-by one not desiring fruit
karma-action
sāttvikam-in the mode of goodness
Translation
Action that is prescribed, performed without attachment, without love or hatred, by one who does not desire the fruit - that action is called sattvic.
Commentary
Krishna defines sattvic action with four qualifications: it must be prescribed duty (niyata), free from attachment (saṅga-rahita), performed without emotional bias (arāga-dveṣa), and without desire for results (aphala-prepsu). Shankaracharya notes this perfectly mirrors the teaching of 2.47. Ramanuja emphasizes that all four conditions must be simultaneously present.
Themes
karmadharmasurrender