Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 11

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते |
यष्टव्यमेवेति मन: समाधाय स सात्त्विक: || 11||

aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyate
yaṣhṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ

aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ—without expectation of any reward; yajñaḥ—sacrifice; vidhi-driṣhṭaḥ—that is in accordance with the scriptural injunctions; yaḥ—which; ijyate—is performed; yaṣhṭavyam-eva-iti—ought to be offered; manaḥ—mind; samādhāya—with conviction; saḥ—that; sāttvikaḥ—of the nature of goodness

Translation

BG 17.11: Sacrifice that is performed according to scriptural injunctions without expectation of rewards, with the firm conviction of the mind that it is a matter of duty, is of the nature of goodness.

Commentary

The nature of yajña also corresponds to the three guṇas. Shree Krishna begins by explaining the type of sacrifice in the mode of goodness. Aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ means that the sacrifice should be performed without expectation of any reward. Vidhi driṣhṭaḥ means that it must be done according to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. Yaṣhṭavyam evaiti means that it must be performed only for the sake of worship of the Lord, as required by the scriptures. When yajña is performed in this manner, it is classified in the mode of goodness.

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