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BG 18.23 — 18.23 An action which is ordained, which is free from attachment, and which is done without love or hatred by one who is not desirous of any reward that a
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नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् |
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ||१८-२३||

niyataṃ saṅgarahitamarāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam . aphalaprepsunā karma yattatsāttvikamucyate ||18-23||


18.23 An action which is ordained, which is free from attachment, and which is done without love or hatred by one who is not desirous of any reward that action is declared to be Sattvic.

Word-by-word meanings

18.23 नियतम् ordained? सङ्गरहितम् free from attachment? अरागद्वेषतः without love or hatred? कृतम् done? अफलप्रेप्सुना by one not desirous of the fruit? कर्म action? यत् which? तत् that? सात्त्विकम् Sattvic (pure)? ुच्यते is declared.Commentary Niyatam Ordained Obligatory. One is not excited to perform an obligatory action through love or hatred.This is a pure act. The performer of such pure action experiences great joy. He does his duty or any other work wholeheartedly not caring for the reward

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

18.23 Niyatam, the daily obligatory; karma, action; yat, which; is krtam, performed; sanga-rahitam, without attachment; araga-dvesatah, without likes or dislikes; aphala-prepsuna, by one who does not hanker for rewards, by an agent who is the opposite of one who is desirous of the fruits of action; tat, that (action); ucyate, is said to be; sattvikam, born of sattva.

Swami Gambirananda

18.23 The daily obligatory action which is performed without attachment and without likes or dislikes by one who does not hanker for rewards, that is said to be born of sattva.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita 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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