Shloka

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् |
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ||१८-२३||

Transliteration

niyataṃ saṅgarahitamarāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam .
aphalaprepsunā karma yattatsāttvikamucyate ||18-23||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

18.23. The object that has been acired with determination, without attachment and without desire or hatred, by one who does not crave to reap the fruit [of his action] - that is declared to be of the Sattva (Strand).

Shri Purohit Swami

18.23 An obligatory action done by one who is disinterested, who neither likes nor dislikes it, and gives no thought to the consequences that follow, such an action is Pure.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

18.23 See Comment under 18.25

Sri Ramanuja

18.23 ‘Obligatory act’ is that which is appropriate to one’s own station and stage of life. Doing it ‘without attachment’ means devoid of attachment to agency etc., and ‘without desire or aversion’ means that it is not done through desire to win fame and aversion to win notoriety, i.e., is performed without ostentation - when obligatory works are performed in the above-mentioned way by one who is not after their fruits, they are said to be Sattvika.

Sri Shankaracharya

18.23 Niyatam, the daily obligatory; karma, action; yat, which; is krtam, performed; sanga-rahitam, without attachment; araga-dvesatah, without likes or dislikes; aphala-prepsuna, by one who does not hanker for rewards, by an agent who is the opposite of one who is desirous of the fruits of action; tat, that (action); ucyate, is said to be; sattvikam, born of sattva.

Swami Adidevananda

18.23 That obligatory act is said to be Sattvika which is done without attachment, without desire or aversion, by one who seeks no fruit.

Swami Gambirananda

18.23 The daily obligatory action which is performed without attachment and without likes or dislikes by one who does not hanker for rewards, that is said to be born of sattva.

Swami Sivananda

18.23 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.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

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.