रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् ।
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥
तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे कुन्तीनन्दन तृष्णा और आसक्तिको पैदा करनेवाले रजोगुणको तुम रागस्वरूप समझो । वह कर्मोंकी आसक्तिसे शरीरधारीको बाँधता है ॥
English
Know rajas as passion-born, born of craving and attachment. It binds the embodied being through attachment to action, O son of Kunti.
What this verse means
Restless desire and attachment create rajas. That force traps a person by making them cling to action and its rewards.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna still stands frozen while Krishna explains the three forces that shape human conduct. After describing sattva, Krishna now names rajas: the force of craving and attachment that ties the embodied person to restless doing.
Why this verse still matters
You refresh your inbox again, then check the message thread, then the notifications. The urge feels small, but it keeps pulling you back into the same loop.
The takeaway
You can see how craving quietly turns action into bondage.
Word-by-word translation
रजः (rajas) / रागात्मकम् (of the nature of passion) / विद्धि (know) / तृष्णा (craving) / सङ्ग (attachment) / समुद्भवम् (born from) / तत् (that) / निबध्नाति (binds) / कौन्तेय (O son of Kunti) / कर्मसङ्गेन (through attachment to action) / देहिनम् (the embodied being)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14: Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga — The Three Modes of Material Nature, which contains 27 verses.
Explore related themes: gunas (47 verses), rajas (21 verses)