Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 18 - Shloka (Verse) 23

नियतं सङ्गरहितम् ৷৷. सात्त्विकमुच्यते -- जिस व्यक्तिके लिये वर्ण और आश्रमके अनुसार जिस परिस्थितिमें और जिस समय शास्त्रोंने जैसा करनेके लिये कहा है? उसके लिये वह कर्म नियत हो जाता है।यहाँ नियतम् पदसे एक तो कर्मोंका स्वरूप बताया है और दूसरे? शास्त्रनिषिद्ध कर्मका निषेध किया है।सङ्गरहितम् पदका तात्पर्य है कि वह नियतकर्म कर्तृत्वाभिमानसे रहित होकर किया जाय। कर्तृत्वाभिमानसे रहित कहनेका भाव है कि जैसे वृक्ष आदिमें मूढ़ता होनेके कारण उनको कर्तृत्वका भान नहीं होता? पर उनकी भी ऋतु आनेपर पत्तोंका झड़ना? नये पत्तोंका निकलना? शाखा कटनेपर घावका मिल जाना? शाखाओंका बढ़ना? फलफूलका लगना आदि सभी क्रियाएँ समष्टि शक्तिके द्वारा अपनेआप ही होती हैं ऐसे ही इन सभी शरीरोंका बढ़नाघटना? खानापीना? चलनाफिरना आदि सभी क्रियाएँ भी समष्टि शक्तिके द्वारा अपनेआप हो रही हैं। इन क्रियाओँके साथ न अभी कोई सम्बन्ध है? न पहले कोई सम्बन्ध था और न आगे ही कोई सम्बन्ध होगा। इस प्रकार जब साधकको प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव हो जाता है? तो फिर उसमें कर्तृत्व नहीं रहता। कर्तृत्व न रहनेपर उसके द्वारा जो कर्म होता है? वह सङ्गरहित अर्थात् कर्तृत्वाभिमानरहित ही होता है। ,यहाँ सांख्यप्रकरणमें कर्तृत्वका त्याग मुख्य होनेसे और आगे अरागद्वेषतः कृतम् पदोंमें भी आसक्तिके त्यागकी बात आनेसे यहाँ सङ्गरहितम् पदका अर्थ कर्तृत्वअभिमानरहित लिया गया है (टिप्पणी प0 905)।अरागद्वेषतः कृतम् पदोंका तात्पर्य है कि रागद्वेषसे रहित हो करके कर्म किया जाय अर्थात् कर्मका ग्रहण रागपूर्वक न हो और कर्मका त्याग द्वेषपूर्वक न हो तथा कर्म करनेके जितने साधन (शरीर? इन्द्रियाँ? अन्तःकरण आदि) हैं? उनमें भी रागद्वेष न हो।अरागद्वेषतः पदसे वर्तमानमें रागका अभाव बताया है और अफलप्रेप्सुना पदसे भविष्यमें रागका अभाव बताया है। तात्पर्य यह है कि भविष्यमें मिलनेवाले फलकी इच्छासे रहित मनुष्यके द्वारा कर्म किया जाय अर्थात् क्रिया और पदार्थोंसे निर्लिप्त रहते हुए असङ्गतापूर्वक कर्म किया जाय तो वह सात्त्विक कहा जाता है।इस सात्त्विक कर्ममें सात्त्विकता तभीतक है? जबतक अत्यन्त सूक्ष्मरूपसे भी प्रकृतिके साथ सम्बन्ध है। जब प्रकृतिसे सर्वथा सम्बन्धविच्छेद हो जाता है? तब यह कर्म अकर्म हो जाता है। सम्बन्ध -- अब राजस कर्मका वर्णन करते हैं।

अब कर्मके तीन भेद कहे जाते हैं --, जो कर्म नियत -- नित्य है तथा सङ्ग -- आसक्तिसे रहित है और फल न चाहनेवाले पुरुषद्वारा बिना रागद्वेषके किया गया है? वह सात्त्विक कहा जाता है। जो कर्म रागसे या द्वेषसे प्रेरित होकर किया जाता है? वह रागद्वेषसे किया हुआ कहलाता है और जो उससे विपरीत है वह बिना रागद्वेषके किया हुआ है। जो कर्ता कर्मफलको चाहता है? वह कर्मफलप्रेप्सु अर्थात् कर्मफलकी तृष्णावाला होता है और जो उससे विपरीत है वह कर्मफलको न चाहनेवाला है।

There are subsequent three verses to state the threefold action, thus he says — 'Atha'.

There he describes the Sattvic action — 'Niyatam'.

Thus having divided the threefold nature of knowledge, dividing the threefold nature of action, first He illustrates Sattvic action.

'Niyatam' — obligatory, enjoined as necessarily to be done; 'saṅgarahitam' — devoid of attachment, void of adherence; 'arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam' — Raga is the coloring mental modification which is the cause of desire to obtain objects; done impelled by that and impelled by hatred is 'done by Raga and Dvesha', opposite to that is 'done without Raga and Dvesha'; one who desires fruit is Phalaprepsu, thirsty for fruit, by the agent opposite to that, the 'aphalaprepsu', whatever action is done; that is called 'Sāttvikam'.

'Phalgu ca līyate ca' (insignificant and dissolves) thus Phala — non-Self object attainable by action; other than that is 'Aphala' — non-adventitious, complete, imperishable Self-reality; done by one desiring That — because of application of sacrifice etc. for attaining Self by the Shruti 'They desire to know by sacrifice' — thus 'Anye' (others) [say].

But by the Acharya (Shankara), thinking that this view is gripped by forced imagination due to non-conformity with the subsequent 'Kāmepsu' (desiring desire), it was ignored.

Now He states the threefold nature of action — by 'Niyatam' etc. 'Niyatam' — obligatory; 'saṅgarahitam' — devoid of pride.

Raga — love for the desirable, Dvesha — dislike for the undesirable, done by them — done for obtaining and avoiding desirable and undesirable — is 'done by Raga and Dvesha'; other than that is 'done without Raga and Dvesha' — desireless, this is the meaning.

'Phalgu ca līyate ca' (insignificant and dissolves) thus Phala — non-Self object attainable by action; other than that is 'Aphala' — non-adventitious, complete, imperishable Self-reality; done by one desiring That — because of application of sacrifice etc. for attaining Self by the Shruti 'They desire to know by sacrifice'.

That action is called Sattvic.

'Niyatam' — appropriate to one's own Varna and Ashrama; 'saṅgarahitam' — devoid of attachment to agency etc.;

'arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam' — not done out of passion for fame and hatred for ill-fame; done without hypocrisy, this is the meaning;

'aphalaprepsunā' — by one having no desire for fruit, whatever action is done thinking 'it is a duty' only; that is called Sattvic.

Now He states the threefold action — by the three [verses] starting 'Niyatam'.

'Niyatam' — enjoined as obligatory; 'saṅgarahitam' — void of adherence; 'arāgadveṣataḥ' — which is not done out of love for son etc. or hatred for enemy; one who desires to obtain 'fruit' is 'Phalaprepsu', by the desireless agent distinct from him whatever action is done; that is called Sattvic.

'Adhikāryaṃśena' (By the part of the qualified person) — by contemplation of the nature of the qualified person distinguished by undivided-ness, divided-ness etc., this is the meaning. It is a statement of the qualified person being a part as an adjective in the qualified action.

Although the word 'Saṅga', by dividing and propounding abandonment of attachment to fruit and agency, concerns a specific subject; still in 'Saṅgarahitam', due to absence of constrictor and due to being required, it concerns the general subject other than the explicitly stated desire for fruit, he says — 'Kartṛtvādisaṅgarahitam' (Devoid of attachment to agency etc.). By the word 'adi', mineness is grasped.

The property of the agent stated as 'Free from attachment, non-egoistic' [18.26] etc. is connected here through that as an adjective to action.

Regarding action performed out of passion for Brahman and hatred for Samsara, how is it 'done without passion and hatred'? To this he says — 'Kīrtirāgādakīrtidveṣācca' (From passion for fame and hatred for ill-fame). The redundancy of the word 'Saṅga' is also avoided by this.

By intending uncompounded nature of 'a' (negative particle) or by intending statement of resultant meaning, 'na kṛtam' (not done) is said.

This is for prohibiting what was stated as 'Austerity with hypocrisy and' [17.18] etc., with this intention he says — 'Adambhena' (Without hypocrisy).

'Kāryamityeva' (It is duty indeed) — is a reminder of Sattvic abandonment.

त्रिविध कर्मों में सात्त्विक कर्म सर्वश्रेष्ठ है? जो कर्ता के मन में शान्ति तथा उसके कर्मक्षेत्र में सामञ्जस्य उत्पन्न करता है। प्राय मनुष्य फल में आसक्त होकर अपने व्यक्तिगत राग और द्वेष से प्रेरित होकर कर्म करता है। परन्तु यहाँ कहा गया है कि नियत अर्थात् कर्तव्य कर्म को अनासक्त भाव से तथा राग द्वेष से रहित होकर करने पर ही वह सात्त्विक कर्म कहलाता है। सात्त्विक पुरुष कर्म को इसीलिए करता है? क्योंकि कर्म कर्तव्य है और वही ईश्वर की पूजा है। ऐसी भावना और प्रेरणा से युक्त होने पर मनुष्य अपनी ही सामान्य कार्यकुशलता एवं श्रेष्ठता से कहीं अधिक ऊँचा उठ जाता है। अर्पण की भावना से किये गये कर्मों में राग और द्वेष का प्रश्न ही नहीं उठता।समस्त साधु सन्तों का सेवाकार्य इस तथ्य का प्रमाण है। अनेक अवसरों पर हम भी इसी भावना से कर्म करते हैं। ऐसा विशिष्ट उदाहरण? उस अवसर का है जब हमारे पैर में कोई चोट लग जाती है। उस समय हम झुक कर पैर को देखने लग जाते हैं और शरीर के समस्त अंग उसकी सेवा में जुट जाते हैं। इस सेवा कार्य में हम यह नहीं कह सकते कि हमें अपने पैर से अन्य अंगों की अपेक्षा अधिक प्रेम है। मनुष्य अपने सम्पूर्ण शरीर में निवास करता है और उसके लिए शरीर के सभी अंग समान होते हैं।इसी प्रकार? जो सात्त्विक पुरुष एकमेव अद्वितीय? सच्चित्स्वरूप सर्वव्यापी परमात्मा को आत्मस्वरूप में पहचान लेता है? तो उस पुरुष के लिए कोढ़ी और राजकुमार? स्वस्थ और अस्वस्थ? दरिद्र और सम्पन्न ये सभी लोग अपने आध्यात्मिक शरीर के विभिन्न अंगों के समान ही प्रतीत होते हैं। ऐसा पुरुष अनुप्राणित आनन्द और कृतार्थता की भावना से जगत् की सेवा करता है।इस प्रकार? सात्त्विक कर्मों की पूर्णता उनके करने में ही होती है। फलप्राप्ति का विचार भी उसमें उत्पन्न नहीं होता है।

From 'Niyatam' etc. up to 'is called Tamasic'.

'Niyatam' — [thinking] it is to be done.

'Kleśaiḥ' (with afflictions) — with ignorance etc.; 'bahulam' (much/abundant) — pervaded.

'Mohāt' (from delusion) — from that which consists of adherence/insistence.

So thus, the non-dual vision of Self of the Upanishadic followers is Sattvic and acceptable by seekers of liberation; but for dualists, the vision of eternal, all-pervasive, mutually distinct selves is Rajasic, and the vision of transient, limited selves is Tamasic and stated as rejectable; now the threefold action is stated — 'Niyatam'.

'Niyatam' — which is pervaded by the inevitability of fruit even for those unable to complete all parts [of ritual], meaning 'Nitya' (obligatory).

'Saṅga' — a specific Rajasic pride synonymous with egoism in the form of pride like 'I alone am a great sacrificer', void of that is 'saṅgarahitam'. As long as there is ignorance, the egoism prompting doership and enjoyership indeed continues, even for the Sattvic person; for the knower of Truth devoid of that, there is no qualification for action, this has been said repeatedly.

'Rāga' — the intention 'I will obtain royal honor etc. by this'; 'Dveṣa' — the intention 'I will defeat the enemy by this'; not done by those two is 'arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam'. 'Aphalaprepsunā' — by an agent devoid of desire for fruit, whatever action — sacrifice, charity, oblation etc. — is done, that is called Sattvic.

Thus having stated the nature of knowledge, He states the form of threefold action — 'Niyatam'.

'Niyatam' — obligatory; 'saṅgarahitam' — devoid of attachment to ignorance; 'arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam' — devoid of passion for the world and hatred for the purpose of killing enemies etc.; 'aphalaprepsunā' — action done with non-desire for fruit, for the sake of the Lord's pleasure (which is), that is called Sattvic.

'Niyatam' — obligatory; 'saṅgarahitam' — devoid of attachment;

'arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam' — done impelled by passion and impelled by hatred is 'done by Raga and Dvesha', opposite to that is 'done without Raga and Dvesha';

'aphalaprepsunā' — he who desires fruit is Phalaprepsu — thirsty for fruit, by the agent opposite to that, the 'Aphalaprepsu', whatever action is done;

that is called Sattvic.

Now He states the threefold nature of performable action according to Gunas — 'Niyatam'.

Stated in Shruti for one's own Varna and Ashrama; 'devoid of attachment to agency etc.'; Raga and Dvesha concerning fame and ill-fame, done with absence of them — thus preceded by abandonment of mineness; whatever action done 'by one not desiring fruit'; that is Sattvic.

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.

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.

'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.