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Shloka 23

भीष्मविक्रमदर्शनं तथा क्रौञ्चारुणव्यूहविधानम् | Bhīṣma’s Ascendancy and the Organization of the Krauñcāruṇa Formation

परंतु जो ज्ञान एक कार्यरूप शरीरमें ही सम्पूर्णके सदूृश आसक्त है तथा जो बिना युक्तिवाला, तात्विक अर्थसे रहित और तुच्छ है, वह तामस कहा गया हैः ।। नियतं४ सड़रहितमरागद्वेषत:" कृतम्‌ | अफललप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्‌ सात््विकमुच्यते,जो कर्म शास्त्रविधिसे नियत किया हुआ और कर्तापनके अभिमानसे रहित हो तथा फल न चाहनेवाले पुरुषद्वारा बिना राग-द्वेषके किया गया हो*--वह सात्त्विक कहा जाता है?

niyataṁ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam | aphalaprepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate ||

Una acción se llama sāttvika cuando se realiza como deber prescrito por el śāstra, sin apego, sin el ego del “yo hago”, libre tanto de atracción como de aversión, y por quien no busca recompensa personal. En términos éticos, define la recta acción como disciplinada, imparcial y centrada en el deber, no movida por el deseo, el odio o el interés propio.

niyatamregulated, prescribed
niyatam:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootniyata
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
saṅga-rahitamfree from attachment
saṅga-rahitam:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootsaṅga-rahita
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
arāga-dveṣataḥfrom/owing to absence of passion and hatred; without likes and dislikes
arāga-dveṣataḥ:
Karana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootarāga-dveṣa
FormAblatival adverb (tas)
kṛtamdone, performed
kṛtam:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ
Formkta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
aphala-prepsunāby one who does not desire fruit (result)
aphala-prepsunā:
Karana
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootaphala-prepsu
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
karmaaction, deed
karma:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkarman
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
yatwhich
yat:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootyad
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
tatthat
tat:
Karma
TypePronoun
Roottad
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
sāttvikamsattvic, of goodness
sāttvikam:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootsāttvika
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ucyateis said, is called
ucyate:
TypeVerb
Rootvac
FormPresent (Lat), Passive, 3rd, Singular

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna (as speaker, per supplied metadata)
Ś
śāstra (scriptural injunction, as authority)

Educational Q&A

Sāttvika action is duty performed according to śāstra, without attachment, without egoistic doership, and without craving for results—remaining even-minded beyond personal likes and dislikes.

In the Bhīṣma Parva’s ethical instruction on the guṇas, the speaker defines the hallmark of sāttvika karma, contrasting it with lower-quality action driven by attachment, aversion, or fruit-seeking.