यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः | क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ||१८-२४||
yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṃkāreṇa vā punaḥ . kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tadrājasamudāhṛtam ||18-24||
Chapter 18 · Verse 24
Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
मोक्षसंन्यासयोग
In plain words
A passionate man performs various selfish actions. He boasts of his actions in public. Passion prompts him to do them.
Translation
18.24 But that act is said to be Rajasika which is performed with great effort by one who seeks to gratify his desires and under the prompting of egoism.
Meaning
A passionate man performs various selfish actions. He boasts of his actions in public. Passion prompts him to do them. He can never work without expectation of a reward. Kamepsuna phalepsuna The Rajasic or passionate man expects pleasures as fruits of action. A liberated sage alone is absolutely free from egoism. He will not dream even of a reward for the action because all his desires are gratified when he realises Brahman. He is an Aptakama. (Aptakamasya ka spriha) How can there be longing or craving in a sage in whom all desires are gratified or burnt by the fire of SelfknowledgeEven the performer of a pure act who has no knowledge of the Self is egoistic. If such be the case the Rajasic and Tamasic workers are much more egoistic. In worldly parlance we speak of a learned Pundit This Pundit is a very modest unassuming and egoless Brahmana. Now listen. O Arjuna to the characteristics of action that is of darkness.
Word by word
यत् which तु but कामेप्सुना by one longing for desires कर्म action साहङ्कारेण with egoism वा or पुनः again क्रियते is performed बहुलायासम् with much effort तत् that राजसम् Rajasic (passionate) उदाहृतम् is declared.