18.23 niyatham sangarahitham

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 18

<< Chapter 18 Verse 22

SlOkam – Original

niyatham sangarahitham arAgadhvEshatha: krutham |
apalaprEpsunA karma yath thath sAthvikam uchyathE ||

word-by-word meaning

yath karma – The karma (action)
niyatham – which is apt (per the individual’s varNa and ASrama)
sangarahitham – without attachment (such as “I am the doer”, “this is my karma”)
arAgadhvEshatha: krutham – not done with desire for fame or hatred for condemnation
apalaprEpsunA (krutham) – done by one who is not attached to the result
thath – that karma
sAthvikam uchyathE – is said to be sAthvika karma

Simple Translation

The karma which is apt (per the individual’s varNa and ASrama), which is done without attachment (such as “I am the doer”, “this is my karma”), is not done with desire for fame or hatred for condemnation and not done by one who is attached to the result, is said to be sAthvika karma.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘That Act is called Sātvika, which by a non-desirer for fruit, is done as duty, void of attachment and void of love and hate.’

Duty (niyatam) = that which is prescribed as appropriate to ones varṇa[1. The four varṇas are Brāhmaṇa, Kshatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra.] and āśrama[2. The four aśramas are Brahmacharya (bachelor and student), Gārhastya (married life), Vānaprastha (retired forest life) and Sanyāsa (monastic or ascetic life).].

Void of attachment such as one’s being the agent, etc.

Void of love for acquiring fame, and void of hate for infamy. Act not done with such loves and hates is act done without vanity. And done as duty without desiring for fruit. This kind of work (or act) is called Sātvika.

>> Chapter 18 Verse 24

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