Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 24 (18.24)

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः । क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् | | १८-२४ | |

yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṁkāreṇa vā punaḥ kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tadrājasamudāhṛitam

Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

यत् (yat) — जिसे(which)
तु (tu) — परंतु(but)
कः (kah) — कौन(who)
मे (me) — मेरा/मुझे(my/to me)
psu joined in kāmepsunā
न (na) — नहीं(not)
कर्म (karma) — कर्म(action)
सहकएन (sāhaṅkāreṇa) — सहकएन(with egoism/pride)
वा (vā) — अथवा(or)
पुनः (punah) — फिर(again)

Line 2:

क्रियते (kriyate) — किया जाता है(is performed)
bahula joined in bahulāyāsaṁ
यः (yah) — जो(who)
am joined in bahulāyāsaṁ
तत् (tat) — वह(that)
राजसम् (rājasam) — राजसिक(passionate)
उदह्रितम् (udahritam) — कहा गया(is called)

English: But even though an action involve the most strenuous endeavour, yet if the doer is seeking to gratify his wants, and is filled with personal vanity, it may be assumed to originate in restless desire.

💡 Commentary Note

Action done under the influence of desire, pride, or with exhausting personal effort, is classified as Rajasik.

Learnings from Shloka 24:

Desire-Driven Stress:: Working with high anxiety and intense ego creates mental and physical exhaustion.
Rajasik Action:: Driven by what we gain, it is rarely peaceful or satisfying.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 18.24 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary

← Previous Verse Next Verse →

Back to Chapter Index