Verse 18.24
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः | क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ||२४||
Transliteration (IAST)
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṁkāreṇa vā punaḥ | kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam ||24||
Word-by-Word Meanings
kāmepsunā-by one desiring results
karma-action
sa-ahaṁkāreṇa-with ego/pride
kriyate-is performed
bahula-āyāsam-with great effort/strain
rājasam-in the mode of passion
udāhṛtam-is declared
Translation
Action performed with desire for results, with ego, or with great strain - that is declared to be rajasic.
Commentary
Rajasic action is characterized by selfish motivation, ego-driven pride, and excessive exertion. Shankaracharya explains that 'bahulāyāsam' (great strain) indicates disproportionate effort driven by anxiety about results. Madhva notes that the ego (ahaṁkāra) here manifests as the attitude 'I am the doer and I deserve the reward,' which binds the soul to the cycle of karma.
Themes
karma