अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् |
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् || 12||
abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api chaiva yat
ijyate bharata-śhreṣhṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam
abhisandhāya—motivated by; tu—but; phalam—the result; dambha—pride; artham—for the sake of; api—also; cha—and; eva—certainly; yat—that which; ijyate—is performed; bharata-śhreṣhṭha—Arjun, the best of the Bharatas; tam—that; yajñam—sacrifice; viddhi—know; rājasam—in the mode of passion
Translation:
But that sacrifice which is performed in expectation of reward and for the sake of ostentation— know that to be of the nature of rajas.
Commentary:
The principle of Nishkamakarma is once again emphasised here. The Rajasic man performs these sacrifices with a view to get some worldly reward. And also, he hopes to win name and fame by such acts of merit. Thus the Yajna loses its purity and divinity by the attachment and pretension of the doer. Any work if it should yield spiritual benefit should be done free from desire and free from pride and self-conceit. The Rajasic spirit should be annihilated. Then the same work becomes Sattvic.
Question: What is the nature of the Rajasic Yajna?
Answer: It is performed for the sake of some reward, and only for the sake of ostentation, pride and self-conceit.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17 🔻 (28 Verses)
