रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः।हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः।।18.27।।
ragi karmaphalaprepsulubdha hinsaatmako ashuch harshashokanvasita karta rajas parikirtit
Translation
The performer is declared to be in the mode of passion when he is attached, greedy for the fruits of work, violent, impure, and driven by joy and sorrow.
Word Meanings
रागी — very much attached; कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो — desiring the fruits of work, greedy; हिंस आत्मकोऽशुचिः — violent‑natured, impure; हर्षशोकान्वितः — subject to joy and sorrow; कर्ता — performer, worker; राजसः — in the mode of passion; परिकीर्तितः — is declared, considered.
Understanding the Verse
In the final chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna systematically classifies the qualities of the three gunas—sattva, rajas and tamas—through the actions and attitudes of the doer. Verse 18.27 focuses on the rajas (passionate) mode, describing the mental and ethical profile of a person whose conduct is governed by desire, greed, aggression, impurity, and emotional volatility. The term rājī (attached) indicates a deep, habitual identification with the outcomes of one’s activities, a hallmark of the passionate mind that cannot act without expectation of reward.
The phrase karma‑phalaprep‑sul‑lubdhaḥ (greedy for the fruits of work) captures the core of rājasic motivation: actions are performed not for their intrinsic value or as an offering to the Divine, but as a means to obtain material gain, status, or personal pleasure. This instrumental view of work creates a perpetual cycle of craving, where the individual is never satisfied, constantly chasing the next result. Such a mindset breeds anxiety and binds the soul to the material world, preventing the freedom that arises from selfless action.
‘Hiṁsā‑ātmako ’śuciḥ’ (violent‑natured, impure) adds a moral dimension. The rājasic person often resorts to force or coercion to secure the desired outcomes. This aggression is not merely physical; it manifests as a harsh, competitive spirit that devalues compassion and ethical restraint. Impurity (aśuci) refers to the contamination of thoughts and deeds by selfish motives, leading to a clouded perception of dharma. Consequently, the individual’s judgments become distorted, and ethical lapses become commonplace.
Finally, ‘harṣa‑śoka‑anvitaḥ’ (subject to joy and sorrow) reflects the emotional instability that accompanies the rājasic disposition. Because pleasure and pain are tied to external results, the person experiences extreme fluctuations—exultation when expectations are met and despondency when they are thwarted. This emotional roller‑coaster further entrenches the cycle of attachment, as the individual seeks to avoid sorrow by clinging more tightly to the promise of future joy. In summary, the verse warns that such a composite of greed, aggression, impurity, and emotional volatility is the hallmark of a rājasic performer, whose actions are bound to the dualities of desire and aversion, keeping the soul entrenched in samsara.
