In Bhagavad Gita 18.27, Krishna says the agent who is passionate, seeks the fruits of action, is greedy, violent, impure and swayed by joy and sorrow, is rajasic.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्
लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता
राजसः परिकीर्तितः ॥ १८-२७ ॥
rāgī karmaphalaprepsur
lubdho hiṃsātmako’śuciḥ
harṣaśokānvitaḥ kartā
rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ
English transliteration raagee karmaphalaprepsur
lubdho himsaatmako’shuchih
harshashokaanvitah kartaa
raajasah parikeertitah ॥ 18.27 ॥
Translation / Meaning
An agent who is passionate, eager for the fruits of action, greedy, violent in nature, impure and moved by joy and sorrow, is declared to be rajasic.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| रागी rāgī | passionate |
| कर्मफलप्रेप्सुः karmaphalaprepsuḥ | eager for the fruits of action karma (action) + phala (fruits) + prepsuḥ (eager) |
| लुब्धः lubdhaḥ | greedy |
| हिंसात्मकः hiṃsātmakaḥ | violent in nature hiṃsā (violence) + ātmakaḥ (nature) |
| अशुचिः aśuciḥ | impure |
| हर्षशोकान्वितः harṣaśokānvitaḥ | moved by joy and sorrow harṣa (joy) + śoka (sorrow) + anvitaḥ (moved) |
| कर्ता kartā | agent |
| राजसः rājasaḥ | rajasic |
| परिकीर्तितः parikīrtitaḥ | is declared |
Word-wise Chanting
- rā–gī kar–ma–pha–lap–rep–sur– 8 syllables raa-gee kar-ma-pha-lap-rep-sur-
- lub–dho hiṃ–sāt–ma–ko–‘śu–ciḥ | 8 syllables lub-dho him-saat-ma-ko-‘shu-chih
- har–ṣa–śo–kān–vi–taḥ kar–tā 8 syllables har-sha-sho-kaan-vi-tah kar-taa
- rā–ja–saḥ pa–ri–kīr–ti–taḥ || 18-27 8 syllables raa-ja-sah pa-ri-keer-ti-tah
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 18 Verse 27
Context
Krishna describes the three kinds of agent (18.26–18.28).
Meaning
The rājasa kartā is driven by rāga, passion, and eager for results. They are lubdha, greedy; hiṃsātmaka, willing to harm others; aśuci, impure in method; and swing between harṣa and śoka, elation and dejection.
This describes a driven, ambitious personality that is never at peace.
In Practice
Notice whether you swing between elation and dejection with results, and practise steadiness today.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Liberation and Renunciation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.