Shloka 12
Abhimanyu’s Assault on Bhīṣma’s Screen; Banner-Felling and Reinforcements (सौभद्र-भीष्म-समरः)
जो शास्त्रविधिसे नियत, यज्ञ करना ही कर्तव्य है--इस प्रकार मनको समाधान करके, फल न चाहनेवाले पुरुषोंद्वारा किया जाता है, वह सात्तविक है ।। अभिसंधाय तु फल दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् । इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञ विद्धि राजसम्,परंतु हे अर्जुन! केवल दम्भाचरणके लिये अथवा फलको भी दृष्टिमें रखकर जो यज्ञ किया जाता है, उस यज्ञको तू राजस जानडरें
abhisaṃdhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārtham api caiva yat | ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ||
But, O best of the Bharatas, the sacrifice performed with its reward in view—and even for display and self-advertisement—know that sacrifice to be of the rājasa (passionate) kind. Ethically, it is outwardly religious yet inwardly driven by craving for results and social recognition, and therefore lacks the purity of selfless duty.
अजुन उवाच