Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 24
Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः । क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १८.२४ ॥
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ | kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam || 18.24 ||
But that action which is performed by one who seeks the desired objects, or again out of egoism, and which is attended with much strain and exertion—such is declared to be rajasic.
परन्तु जो कर्म फल की कामना करने वाले द्वारा या अहंकार से युक्त होकर किया जाता है और जिसमें बहुत परिश्रम/उत्कट प्रयास होता है—वह राजस कहा गया है।
But that action which is done by one desiring pleasures (or results), or again with egoism, and with much strain—this is declared rajasic.
Traditional readings often connect ‘bahulāyāsa’ with agitated exertion driven by desire and self-assertion. Academic translations retain the descriptive triad: desire, ego-involvement, and strenuous overexertion.
FAQs
Rajasic action is linked to craving and ego-validation, often producing overexertion and inner agitation. The emphasis is on motive and mental tone rather than the external form of the work.
It reflects rajas as a principle of movement and desire, binding the agent through attachment to results and self-concern.
It contrasts with sattvic action (duty without fruit-seeking) by specifying the rajasic markers of desire and egoism.
It can describe burnout-prone productivity driven by status or reward. The verse suggests examining whether effort is guided by values or by compulsive outcome-chasing.