यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः ।
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
परन्तु जो कर्म भोगोंको चाहनेवाले मनुष्यके द्वारा अहंकार अथवा परिश्रमपूर्वक किया जाता है, वह राजस कहा गया है ॥
English
But action done with desire for pleasure, or with ego, or with great strain, is said to be rajasic.
What this verse means
Action driven by craving, ego, or strain belongs to restlessness, not clarity. It is active, but it is not clean.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna frozen and the war still waiting, Krishna explains how action can be shaped by the three qualities. After describing clear action, he now names the kind driven by desire, pride, and strain.
Why this verse still matters
You keep pushing because you want the praise, the win, the proof. The work gets done, but it leaves you tighter than before.
The takeaway
You can spot the difference between healthy effort and effort fueled by wanting.
Word-by-word translation
यत् (which) / तु (but) / कामेप्सुना (by one desiring pleasure) / कर्म (action) / साहङ्कारेण (with ego) / वा (or) / पुनः (again) / क्रियते (is done) / बहुलायासम् (with great effort) / तत् (that) / राजसम् (rajasic) / उदाहृतम् (is called)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation, which contains 78 verses.
Explore related themes: rajas (21 verses)