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.
In simple words
Krishna describes pure action: "An action that is necessary, that is done without attachment, without attraction or repulsion, and without craving for any reward — that action is pure."
Word-by-word meanings
नियतम्ordainedसङ्गरहितम्free from attachmentअरागद्वेषतःwithout love or hatredकृतम्doneअफलप्रेप्सुनाby one not desirous of the fruitकर्मactionयत्whichतत्thatसात्त्विकम्Sattvic (pure)ुच्यतेis declared
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 but offering it willingly at the feet of the Lord. He works in accordancw with the dictates of the scriptures. Now I will explain to thee? O Arjuna? the nature of action which is Rajasic or passionate. Do thou listen to Me with rapt attention.
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
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.
Modern
Among the three types of actions, the sattvic action is supreme—that which brings peace to the mind of the doer and harmony to the field of action. Most people perform their duties driven by attachment to results and by their personal likes and dislikes. But here it is taught that prescribed duty, when performed with detachment and free from attraction and aversion, alone is called sattvic action. The sattvic person performs action because action is duty, and duty itself is worship of the Divine. When one is filled with such understanding and inspiration, one rises far beyond one's ordinary competence and excellence. In actions performed with the spirit of offering, the question of attraction and aversion does not even arise. The service rendered by all saints and sages bears witness to this truth. We ourselves perform actions with this spirit on many occasions. A striking example is when we injure our foot. At that moment, we bend down to examine it, and all the limbs of the body engage in its service. In this service, we cannot say that we love our foot more than other limbs. The human being dwells in the entire body, and for that person, all parts of the body are equal.
Similarly, when the sattvic person recognizes the one, unique, non-dual, eternal, conscious, all-pervading Supreme Self as one's own true nature, then for that person, the leper and the prince, the healthy and the sick, the poor and the wealthy—all these appear as different limbs of one's spiritual body. Such a person serves the world, animated by joy and the sense of fulfillment. Thus, the perfection of sattvic actions lies in their very performance. The thought of gaining results does not even arise in them.