This is the daily reading selection from Bhagvadgita from उत्थान पथ (Path to a Spiritual High) for Fridays. In these shlokas, Lord Krishna highlights the three types actions and the three types of doers, under the influence of the three gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas.
सात्विक कर्म व कर्ता
sātvika karma va kartā
नियतं सङ्गरहितं अरागद्वेषतः कृतम्।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते॥ १८-२३॥
niyataṁ saṅgarahitaṁ arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam |
aphalaprepsunā karma yattatsāttvikamucyate || 18-23||
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः।
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद् राजसमुदाहृतम्॥ १८-२४॥
yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṁkāreṇa vā punaḥ |
kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasamudāhṛtam || 18-24||
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसां अनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम्।
मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते॥ १८-२५॥
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsāṁ anapekṣya ca pauruṣam |
mohādārabhyate karma yattattāmasamucyate || 18-25||
फल-आश-त्यागी नित्य नियमित कर्म जो भी कर रहा॥
बिन राग द्वेष असंग हो वह कर्म सात्त्विक है कहा॥ १८। २३॥
phala-āśa-tyāgī nitya niyamita karma jo bhī kara rahā ||
bina rāga dveṣa asaṁga ho vaha karma sāttvika hai kahā || 18| 23 ||
आशा लि फल की अहंकृत-बुद्धि से जो काम है॥
अति ही परिश्रम से किया राजस उसी का नाम है॥ १८। २४॥
āśā lie phala kī ahaṁkṛta-buddhi se jo kāma hai ||
ati hī pariśrama se kiyā rājasa usī kā nāma hai || 18| 24 ||
परिणाम पौरुष हानि हिंसा का न जिसमें ध्यान है॥
वह तामसी है कर्म जिसके मूल में अज्ञान है॥ १८। २५॥
pariṇāma pauruṣa hāni hiṁsā kā na jisameṁ dhyāna hai ||
vaha tāmasī hai karma jisake mūla meṁ ajñāna hai || 18| 25 ||
There is “right” Action: that which- being enjoined-
Is wrought without attachment, passionlessly,
For duty, not for love, nor hate, nor gain.
There is “vain” Action: that which men pursue
Aching to satisfy desires, impelled
By sense of self, with all-absorbing stress:
This is of Rajas- passionate and vain.
There is “dark” Action: when one doth a thing
Heedless of issues, heedless of the hurt
Or wrong for others, heedless if he harm
His own soul- ’tis of Tamas, black and bad!
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते॥ १८-२६॥
muktasaṅgo’nahaṁvādī dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ |
siddhyasiddhyornirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika ucyate || 18-26||
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः॥ १८-२७॥
rāgī karmaphalaprepsurlubdho hiṁsātmako’śuciḥ |
harṣaśokānvitaḥ kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ || 18-27||
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः।
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते॥ १८-२८॥
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko’lasaḥ |
viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate || 18-28||
बिन अहंकार असंग धीरजवान् उत्साही महा॥
अविकार सिद्धि असिद्धि में सात्त्विक वही कर्ता कहा॥ १८। २६॥
bina ahaṁkāra asaṁga dhīrajavān utsāhī mahā ||
avikāra siddhi asiddhi meṁ sāttvika vahī kartā kahā || 18| 26 ||
हिंसक विषय-भय लोभ-हर्ष-विषाद-युक्त मलीन है॥
फल कामना में लीन कर्ता राजसी वह दीन है॥ १८। २७॥
hiṁsaka viṣaya-bhaya lobha-harṣa-viṣāda-yukta malīna hai ||
phala kāmanā meṁ līna kartā rājasī vaha dīna hai || 18| 27 ||
चंचल घमण्डी शठ विषादी दीर्घसूत्री आलसी॥
शिक्षा-रहित पर-हानि-कर कर्ता कहा है तामसी॥ १८। २८॥
caṁcala ghamaṇḍī śaṭha viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ālasī ||
śikṣā-rahita para-hāni-kara kartā kahā hai tāmasī || 18| 28 ||
There is the “rightful” doer. He who acts
Free from self-seeking, humble, resolute,
Steadfast, in good or evil hap the same,
Content to do aright- he “truly” acts.
There is th’ “impassioned” doer. He that works
From impulse, seeking profit, rude and bold
To overcome, unchastened; slave by turns
Of sorrow and of joy: of Rajas he!
And there be evil doers; loose of heart,
Low-minded, stubborn, fraudulent, remiss,
Dull, slow, despondent- children of the “dark.”
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये।
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी॥ १८-३०॥
pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye |
bandhaṁ mokṣaṁ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī || 18-30||
जाने प्रवृत्ति निवृत्ति बन्धन मोक्ष कार्य अकार्य भी॥
हे पार्थ सात्त्विक बुद्धि है जो भय अभय जाने सभी॥ १८। ३०॥
jāne pravṛtti nivṛtti bandhana mokṣa kārya akārya bhī ||
he pārtha sāttvika buddhi hai jo bhaya abhaya jāne sabhī || 18| 30 ||
Good is the Intellect which comprehends
The coming forth and going back of life,
What must be done, and what must not be done,
What should be feared, and what should not be feared,
What binds and what emancipates the soul:
That is of Sattwan, Prince! of “soothfastness.”
Hindi Verse translation in the above post is taken from Shri Hari Gita by Pandit. Deenanatha Bhargava Dinesh. English Verse translation in the above post is taken from Song Celestial by Sir Edwin Arnold the Sanskrit Documents website.
