Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 24

Rajasic Karma is explained.

यत्तुकामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुन: |
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् || 24||

yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhankārena vā punaḥ
kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛitam

yat—which; tu—but; kāma-īpsunā—prompted by selfish desire; karma—action; sa-ahaṅkāreṇa—with pride; vā—or; punaḥ—again; kriyate—enacted; bahula-āyāsam—stressfully; tat—that; rājasam—in the nature of passion; udāhṛitam—is said to be

Translation:

That action which is done by one longing for desires, or again with egotism, or with much effort, is declared to be Rajasic (Karma).

Commentary:

Action performed with a longing for its fruit and with the egotistic feeling of personal agency is Rajasic action. It is performed with great effort (bahulayasam).

The passionate man burdens himself with work that causes unnecessary labour and effort. And it implies that the fruit is not commensurate with the effort put into the work The action becomes restless and troubled in the course of the action, because his eye is on the rewards to be obtained from it, and also the pride of having brought the action to a successful end. Both these inner motives make the work painful and burdensome. He cannot have the self-sacrifice of the Sattvic man, who performs equally great action but without losing his balance and equanimity. He acts because the Sastras have sanctioned the action, and is not conscious of any personal feeling or attachment to its end. He is, therefore, free and joyous. Desire for reward is bondage; egoism is bondage. The seekers should learn to avoid these two great evils which bind the self to the wheel of Karma.

Question: What is the nature of Rajasic Karma?

Answer: 1. It is done with a desire for fruit; 2. It is performed with the egotistic feeling “I am the doer”; 3. It causes much exertion.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18 🔻 (78 Verses)

01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70
71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78