ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना।करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसंग्रहः।।18.18।।
Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower—these are the threefold incitements to action; the instrument, the action, and the agent—these are the threefold constituents of action.
ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः।प्रोच्यते गुणसंख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि।।18.19।।
Knowledge, action, and the agent are declared in the enumeration of the qualities to be of three kinds according to the difference of the qualities; hear them as they are.
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते।अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम्।।18.20।।
That knowledge by which one sees the one imperishable reality in all beings, undivided in the divided—know that knowledge to be of the nature of goodness.
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्।वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्।।18.21।।
But that knowledge by which one sees various kinds of beings as distinct and separate in all creatures—know that knowledge to be of the nature of passion.
यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम्।अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।18.22।।
But that knowledge which is attached to a single effect as if it were the whole, without reason, lacking in truth, and trivial—such is declared to be of the nature of darkness.
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम्।अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते।।18.23।।
Action that is prescribed, performed without attachment, without desire or aversion, and without longing for its result—that is declared to be of the nature of goodness.
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः।क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम्।।18.24।।
But action performed with desire for its result, or with pride, and with great effort—that is declared to be of the nature of passion.
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम्।मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते।।18.25।।
Action undertaken out of delusion, without regard for consequences, loss, harm, or one's own ability—that is declared to be of the nature of darkness.
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते।।18.26।।
One who acts without attachment, without asserting 'I am the doer,' endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, and remains unchanged in success or failure, is called a sattvic agent.
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः।हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः।।18.27।।
One who is passionate, eager for the fruits of action, greedy, violent, impure, and subject to joy and sorrow, is declared to be a rajasic agent.
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः।विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते।।18.28।।
One who is unfit, crude, arrogant, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating is called a tamasic agent.
बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं श्रृणु।प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय।।18.29।।
Hear now, O Dhananjaya, the threefold distinction of intellect and resolve according to the qualities, explained fully and separately.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये।बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.30।।
The intellect which knows action and inaction, what ought to be done and what ought not, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, O Partha, is sattvic.
यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च।अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.31।।
The intellect by which one incorrectly understands righteousness and unrighteousness, what ought to be done and what ought not, O Partha, is rajasic.
अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता।सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी।।18.32।।
The intellect, O Partha, which, enveloped in darkness, regards unrighteousness as righteousness and perceives all things in a distorted way, is tamasic.
धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः।योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.33।।
The firmness by which one sustains the functions of mind, life, and senses through unwavering yoga, O Partha, is sattvic.
यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन।प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.34।।
The firmness by which, O Arjuna, one holds to righteousness, desire, and wealth, seeking their results with attachment, O Partha, is rajasic.
यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च।न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी।।18.35।।
The firmness by which a person of poor understanding does not let go of sleep, fear, sorrow, despondency, and arrogance, O Partha, is tamasic.
सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रृणु मे भरतर्षभ।अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति।।18.36।।
Now hear from me, O best of Bharatas, the threefold happiness: that in which one delights through practice and attains the end of sorrow, which at first seems like poison but in its result is like nectar, that happiness is said to be sattvic, born of clarity in self-understanding.
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्।तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्।।18.37।।
That which at first is like poison but in its outcome is like nectar, that happiness is declared sattvic, arising from the serenity of self-understanding.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम्।परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्।।18.38।।
The happiness which arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, which at first appears like nectar but in its result is like poison, is remembered as rajasic.
यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः।निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।18.39।।
The happiness which, at the beginning and in its effect, deludes the self, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence, is called tamasic.
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः।सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्ित्रभिर्गुणैः।।18.40।।
There is no being on earth or even among the gods in heaven who is free from these three qualities born of nature.
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप।कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः।।18.41।।
The duties of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, O Parantapa, are divided according to the qualities arising from their own nature.
शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च।ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.42।।
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, patience, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith are the natural duties of the Brahmin.
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम्।दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.43।।
Valor, strength, firmness, skill, not fleeing in battle, generosity, and lordliness are the natural duties of the Kshatriya.
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्।परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्।।18.44।।
Farming, protection of cows, and trade are the natural duties of the Vaishya; service-oriented work is the natural duty of the Shudra.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः।स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु।।18.45।।
A person devoted to their own duty attains perfection; hear from me how one who is dedicated to their own work achieves success.
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः।।18.46।।
By worshipping with one's own work that source from which all beings arise and by which all this is pervaded, a person attains perfection.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्।।18.47।।
One's own duty, though lacking in merit, is better than another's well-performed duty; by acting according to one's own nature, one does not incur sin.