Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 24 (BG 18.24)

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

You have the right to act...

Preparing your translation...

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

You have the right to act...

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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 24 — Meaning & Commentary | Live Gita

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यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः |
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ||१८-२४||

yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṃkāreṇa vā punaḥ . kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tadrājasamudāhṛtam ||18-24||

But that action which is done by one longing for the fulfilment of desires or gain with egoism or with much effort that is declared to be Rajasic (passionate).

In simple words

Krishna describes passionate action: "An action done because of personal desire, done with ego, or done with great strain and effort — that action is passionate."

Word-by-word meanings

यत्whichतुbutकामेप्सुनाby one longing for desiresकर्मactionसाहङ्कारेणwith egoismवाorपुनःagainक्रियतेis performedबहुलायासम्with much effortतत्thatराजसम्Rajasic (passionate)उदाहृतम्is declared

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

18.24 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.Commentary 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.

Swami Chinmayananda

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

Swami Chinmayananda

# BG 18.24 Rajasic action is performed with the sense of "I am the doer," driven by ego, filled with selfish desire and strenuous effort. The performer of such action remains under constant stress and pressure. The meaning of this verse is clear. The actions of political leaders, social activists, great industrialists, anxious parents, rigid religious propagandists, missionaries engaged in religious conversion, and those obsessed with accumulating wealth largely fall into the rajasic category. Sometimes they even descend to the level of tamasic qualities.

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 24 (BG 18.24) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

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