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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 23

Guṇa-vibhāga: The Three Modes and the Path Beyond Them

मदर्पणं निष्फलं वा सात्त्विकं निजकर्म तत् । राजसं फलसङ्कल्पं हिंसाप्रायादि तामसम् ॥ २३ ॥

mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā sāttvikaṁ nija-karma tat rājasaṁ phala-saṅkalpaṁ hiṁsā-prāyādi tāmasam

結果を顧みず、私への捧げ物として行われる行為は、徳の様式(サットヴァ)にあるとされる。結果を楽しむという欲望を持って行われる行為は、激情の様式(ラジャス)にある。そして、暴力や妬みに駆り立てられた行為は、無知の様式(タマス)にある。

मत्-अर्पणम्offering to me
मत्-अर्पणम्:
Visheshya-bhava (विशेष्यभाव)
TypeNoun
Rootमत् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'offering to me'
निष्फलम्without fruit
निष्फलम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying (कर्म)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), alternative
सात्त्विकम्sattvic
सात्त्विकम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective
निजकर्मone’s own action
निजकर्म:
Visheshya (विशेष्य)
TypeNoun
Rootनिज-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; karmadhāraya: 'one's own action'
तत्that
तत्:
Anuvada (अनुवाद/सर्वनाम)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun referring to 'that (karma)'
राजसम्rajasic
राजसम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootराजस (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective
फलसङ्कल्पम्aiming at results
फलसङ्कल्पम्:
Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootफल-सङ्कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'intention for fruit/result'
हिंसाप्रायादिmostly violent, etc.
हिंसाप्रायादि:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootहिंसा-प्राय-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound: हिंसा (violence) + प्राय (mostly) + आदि (etc.) meaning 'mostly violent and so on'
तामसम्tamasic
तामसम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतामस (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective

Ordinary work performed as an offering to God, without desire for the result, is understood to be in the mode of goodness, whereas activities of devotion — such as chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord — are transcendental forms of work beyond the modes of nature.

K
Kṛṣṇa
U
Uddhava

FAQs

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa explains that work offered to Him or done without desire for reward is sāttvika; work driven by expectation of results is rājasa; and work dominated by violence and similar tendencies is tāmasa.

Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on how to purify one’s actions and consciousness through understanding the guṇas, guiding him toward devotion and liberation as part of the Uddhava-gītā teachings.

Do your responsibilities as an offering to God, reduce obsession with outcomes, and avoid harmful or exploitative actions—this shifts daily work toward goodness and supports steady bhakti.