Mahabharata
Bhagavad-gītā (018) (Moksha-Sannyasa Yoga)6.40.23-28
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Mahabharata · 6.40.23-28
Devanāgarī

नियतं सङ्गरहितम् अरागद्वेषतः कृतम् ॥
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत् तत् सात्त्विकम् उच्यते ॥
यत् तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः ॥
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद् राजसम् उदाहृतम् ॥
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसाम् अनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् ॥
मोहाद् आरभ्यते कर्म यत् तत् तामसम् उच्यते ॥
मुक्तसङ्गो ऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः ॥
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर् निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर् लुब्धो हिंसात्मको ऽशुचिः ॥
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः ॥
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैकृतिको ऽलसः ॥
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

niyataṃ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam ||
aphalaprepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate ||
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṃkāreṇa vā punaḥ ||
kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tad rājasam udāhṛtam ||
anubandhaṃ kṣayaṃ hiṃsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam ||
mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate ||
muktasaṅgo 'nahaṃvādī dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ ||
siddhyasiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika ucyate ||
rāgī karmaphalaprepsur lubdho hiṃsātmako 'śuciḥ ||
harṣaśokānvitaḥ kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ||
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naikṛtiko 'lasaḥ ||
viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नियतं सङ्गरहितम्niyataṃ saṅgarahitamprescribed, free from attachment; obligatory and free from bondage
अरागद्वेषतः कृतम्arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtamperformed without attraction or hatred; carried out without love or hate
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्मaphalaprepsunā karmaaction by one who does not seek the fruit; a deed done without craving for result
यत् तत् सात्त्विकम् उच्यतेyat tat sāttvikam ucyatethat is called sattvic; such is termed of goodness
यत् तु कामेप्सुना कर्मyat tu kāmepsunā karmabut action by one seeking desire; a deed for the sake of fulfilling desire
साहंकारेण वा पुनःsāhaṃkāreṇa vā punaḥor again with egotism; or with self-conceit
क्रियते बहुलायासंkriyate bahulāyāsaṃperformed with great effort; done with heavy strain
तद् राजसम् उदाहृतम्tad rājasam udāhṛtamthat is declared rajasic; this is proclaimed passionate
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसाम्anubandhaṃ kṣayaṃ hiṃsāmconsequence, loss, harm; attachment, ruin, and violence
अनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम्anapekṣya ca pauruṣamand without regard for one's own capacity; without weighing human strength
मोहाद् आरभ्यते कर्मmohād ārabhyate karmaaction begun out of delusion; a deed undertaken through delusion
यत् तत् तामसम् उच्यतेyat tat tāmasam ucyatethat is called tamasic; such is termed dark
मुक्तसङ्गो ऽनहंवादीmuktasaṅgo 'nahaṃvādīfree from attachment, not speaking of 'I'; without bondage and without self-praise
धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितःdhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥendowed with steadfastness and zeal; possessing resolve and enthusiasm
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर् निर्विकारःsiddhyasiddhyor nirvikāraḥunchanged in success and failure; even in fortune and misfortune
कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यतेkartā sāttvika ucyatethe doer is called sattvic; the agent is termed of goodness
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्rāgī karmaphalaprepsurpassionate, craving the fruit of action; attached and seeking the result
लुब्धो हिंसात्मको ऽशुचिःlubdho hiṃsātmako 'śuciḥgreedy, harmful, impure; avaricious, violent, and unclean
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ताharṣaśokānvitaḥ kartāa doer given to joy and grief; an agent swinging between elation and sorrow
राजसः परिकीर्तितःrājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥis called rajasic; is proclaimed passionate
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धःayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥundisciplined, coarse, stubborn; unfocused, base, obstinate
शठो नैकृतिको ऽलसःśaṭho naikṛtiko 'lasaḥdeceitful, malicious, lazy; cunning, harmful, idle
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री चviṣādī dīrghasūtrī cagloomy and slow to act; sullen and procrastinating
कर्ता तामस उच्यतेkartā tāmasa ucyatethe doer is called tamasic; the agent is termed dark
Translation

"A prescribed action, performed without attachment, without attraction or hatred, by one who does not seek its fruit, is called sattvic. But an action performed out of desire or with egotism, with great strain, is declared rajasic. An action that is begun out of delusion, without regard for its consequences, loss, harm, or one's own capacity, is called tamasic. A doer who is free from attachment, does not speak of 'I,' is endowed with steadfastness and zeal, and remains unchanged in success and failure, is called sattvic. A doer who is attached, craves the fruit of action, is greedy, harmful, impure, and given to joy and grief, is called rajasic. A doer who is undisciplined, coarse, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, gloomy, and slow to act is called tamasic."

Version

f1fd246e6089 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:02:21 PM UTC

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