Bhagwad Gita - Post 229

Verse 23

 

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

The Sattvic ones perform actions without yearning for the fruit.

Sattvic karma is that which is performed by one who considers that performance as an obligatory duty and not an imposition from outside, and does the duty without any kind of attachment or feeling of mine-ness in regard to the work. He will not say it is his work.

The duty that is referred to here is free from likes and dislikes. It is not intended to please oneself, nor is it intended to harm somebody else. It is duty, free from mine-ness and attachment in regard to it, with no eye to the fruit thereof.

There are so many conditions. Firstly, it should be considered as a duty and not as an imposition. Secondly, it should be done without any kind of attachment. Thirdly, it should not be motivated by like and dislike. Fourthly, there should be no eye on the fruit that accrues from the action.

That kind of action, with so many conditions attached to it, difficult indeed to perform by ordinary persons, is called sattvic karma.

In short, it is performing the Karma as per the ashrama in which one is, without the influence of Ahankara and surrendering not only the results, but even the action, the doer, the faculty performing the action and the intellect guiding the action, all at the feet of the Almighty.

Verse 24

But that action which is done by one longing for the fulfilment of desires or gain, with egoism or with much effort—that is declared to be Rajasic.

The Rajasik ones relish diversity and their actions are largely motivated by selfish and egoistic thoughts.

The Lord says that if anyone does action with intense longing attached to it, whatever be the nature of that longing, and it is also filled with egoism—“See what I do! I am capable of doing this. What do people think? What do they know about me?”—if this kind of egoistic boasting is at the back of any kind of performance, together with desire of some nature, yet it is attended with fatigue because one gets tired at the end of the day by doing that work, if the nature of the work causes fatigue engendered by egoism and is filled with desire, it is called rajasa karma.

Verse 25

That action which is undertaken from delusion, without regard to the consequences of loss, injury and (one’s own) ability—that is declared to be Tamasic.

The Tamasic ones are foolish, misguided and do things blindly, without any concern for their consequences.

When we undertake an action, we must know our capacity to do it. Are we fit for it? To imagine oneself to be competent to perform a work, while really one is not competent, is lack of wisdom. It is not necessary to underestimate oneself, but it is also not necessary to overestimate oneself. It is necessary to judge oneself impartially as to one’s capacity and fitness for a particular kind of work or action. 

The root of tamasic action is tamasic knowledge, which creates a highly perverse sense of attachment towards certain object, person, situation or end goal, that everything else becomes inferior and worthless. The underlying connectedness or unity of things is forgotten.

When a person does not consider his fitness for undertaking a work, and does not consider the consequence that may follow from that action, the harm that it may do to others and the injury that may result, and the work is done with a confused state of mind, such an action is called tamasic karma, the worst kind of action.

Love.