Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 12

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् |
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् || 12||

abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api chaiva yat
ijyate bharata-śhreṣhṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam

abhisandhāya—motivated by; tu—but; phalam—the result; dambha—pride; artham—for the sake of; api—also; cha—and; eva—certainly; yat—that which; ijyate—is performed; bharata-śhreṣhṭha—Arjun, the best of the Bharatas; tam—that; yajñam—sacrifice; viddhi—know; rājasam—in the mode of passion

Translation

BG 17.12: O best of the Bharatas, know that sacrifice performed for material benefit, or with a hypocritical aim, is in the mode of passion.

Commentary

Sacrifice becomes a form of business with God if it is performed with great pomp and show, but the spirit behind it is one of selfishness i.e., “What will I get in return?” Pure devotion is that where one seeks nothing in return. Shree Krishna says that sacrifice may be done with great ceremony, but if it is for the sake of rewards in the form of prestige, aggrandizement, etc. it is rājasic in nature.

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