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Chapter 146 verses
Arjuna Viṣāda Yoga
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Chapter 272 verses
Sāṅkhya Yoga
साङ्ख्ययोग
Chapter 343 verses
Karma Yoga
कर्मयोग
Chapter 442 verses
Jñāna Karma Sannyāsa Yoga
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Chapter 529 verses
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Chapter 647 verses
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Chapter 730 verses
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Chapter 828 verses
Akṣara Brahma Yoga
अक्षरब्रह्मयोग
Chapter 934 verses
Rāja Vidyā Rāja Guhya Yoga
राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग
Chapter 1042 verses
Vibhūti Yoga
विभूतियोग
Chapter 1155 verses
Viśvarūpa Darśana Yoga
विश्वरूपदर्शनयोग
Chapter 1220 verses
Bhakti Yoga
भक्तियोग
Chapter 1335 verses
Kṣetra Kṣetrajña Vibhāga Yoga
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग
Chapter 1427 verses
Guṇatraya Vibhāga Yoga
गुणत्रयविभागयोग
Chapter 1520 verses
Puruṣottama Yoga
पुरुषोत्तमयोग
Chapter 1624 verses
Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga
दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग
Chapter 1728 verses
Śraddhātraya Vibhāga Yoga
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग
Chapter 1878 verses
Mokṣa Sannyāsa Yoga
मोक्षसंन्यासयोग

Chapter 17 – Śraddhātraya Vibhāga Yoga

Verse 17.11

अफलाकाङ्‌‍क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदिष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मन: समाधाय स सात्त्विक: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño vidhi-diṣṭo ya ijyate yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ — by those devoid of desire for result; yajñaḥ — sacrifice; vidhi-diṣṭaḥ — according to the direction of scripture; yaḥ — which; ijyate — is performed; yaṣṭavyam — must be performed; eva — certainly; iti — thus; manaḥ — mind; samādhāya — fixing; saḥ — it; sāttvikaḥ — in the mode of goodness.

Translation

“Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature of goodness.”

Purport

The general tendency is to offer sacrifice with some purpose in mind, but here it is stated that sacrifice should be performed without any such desire. It should be done as a matter of duty. Take, for example, the performance of rituals in temples or in churches. Generally they are performed with the purpose of material benefit, but that is not in the mode of goodness. One should go to a temple or church as a matter of duty, offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offer flowers and eatables without any purpose of obtaining material benefit. Everyone thinks that there is no use in going to the temple just to worship God. But worship for economic benefit is not recommended in the scriptural injunctions. One should go simply to offer respect to the Deity. That will place one in the mode of goodness. It is the duty of every civilized man to obey the injunctions of the scriptures and offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.