Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 12

Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥

Transliteration

abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi caiva yat .
ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ॥

Meaning

But the sacrifice that is offered with an eye on its reward, or merely for show, O best of the Bharatas, know that to be rajasic.

Word meanings

अभिसन्धाय – aiming at, having in view
तु – but
फलम् – the reward
दम्भार्थम् – for display
अपि च एव – or also
यत् – which
इज्यते – is offered
भरतश्रेष्ठ – O best of the Bharatas
तम् – that
यज्ञम् – sacrifice
विद्धि – know
राजसम् – rajasic

Anvaya (word order)

भरतश्रेष्ठ, यत् तु फलम् अभिसन्धाय दम्भार्थम् अपि च एव इज्यते, तं यज्ञं राजसं विद्धि ।

Explanation

Krishna now describes rajasic sacrifice. It has two marks, both the opposite of sattvic sacrifice.

The first is abhisandhaya tu phalam, 'aiming at the reward'. Abhisandhaya means taking aim at a target. A rajasic person sacrifices to obtain wealth, children, heaven, health, success or the fulfilment of some wish. For him sacrifice is a means, a kind of transaction. His attention is on the reward, not the worship.

The second is dambhartham api chaiva, 'or for show'. Some people hold sacrifices or religious events so that society will notice their piety and prestige. Chapter 16 described just such 'sacrifices in name only' (16.17). The words api chaiva show that either motive alone is enough to make a sacrifice rajasic.

The Gita does not altogether forbid worship with desires; in Chapter 7 Krishna even calls the devotee who seeks wealth 'noble' (7.16, 7.18). But it does not consider such worship the highest, because its fruit is limited and temporary and it keeps a person bound in the cycle of desire. The seeker's aim is to climb from rajasic sacrifice to sattvic sacrifice.

Context

The previous verse described sattvic sacrifice; this verse describes rajasic sacrifice. The next verse describes tamasic sacrifice.

Life lesson

When we worship or serve for some reward or for praise, it becomes a transaction. Gradually turn your worship from asking towards offering.

Key terms

Rajasic yajna: Sacrifice performed for reward or for display
Abhisandhaya: Aiming at, having a goal in view
Dambhartha: For the sake of show