Chapter 25
मदर्पणं निष्फलं वा सात्त्विकं निजकर्म तत् । राजसं फलसङ्कल्पं हिंसाप्रायादि तामसम् ॥ २३ ॥
Transliteration
mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā sāttvikaṁ nija-karma tat rājasaṁ phala-saṅkalpaṁ hiṁsā-prāyādi tāmasam
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
mat-arpaṇam — offered unto Me; niṣphalam — done without expectation of result; vā — and; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; nija — accepted as one’s prescribed duty; karma — work; tat — that; rājasam — in the mode of passion; phala-saṅkalpam — done in expectation of some result; hiṁsā-prāya-ādi — done with violence, envy and so on; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance.
Translation
“Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.”