In Bhagavad Gita 18.34, Krishna says the steadiness by which one holds to duty, pleasure and wealth, desiring their fruits through attachment, is rajasic.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्
धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी
धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥ १८-३४ ॥
yayā tu dharmakāmārthān
dhṛtyā dhārayate’rjuna
prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī
dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasī
English transliteration yayaa tu dharmakaamaarthaan
dhrityaa dhaarayate’rjuna
prasangena phalaakaankshee
dhritih saa paartha raajasee ॥ 18.34 ॥
Translation / Meaning
But the steadiness by which one holds to duty, pleasure and wealth, desiring their fruits out of attachment, O Arjuna, is rajasic.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| यया yayā | by which |
| तु tu | but |
| धर्मकामार्थान् dharmakāmārthān | duty, pleasure and wealth dharma (duty) + kāma (pleasure) + arthān (wealth) |
| धृत्या dhṛtyā | steadiness |
| धारयते dhārayate | holds |
| अर्जुन arjuna | O Arjuna |
| प्रसङ्गेन prasaṅgena | out of attachment |
| फलाकाङ्क्षी phalākāṅkṣī | desiring their fruits phala (fruits) + ākāṅkṣī (desiring) |
| धृतिः dhṛtiḥ | steadiness |
| सा sā | that |
| पार्थ pārtha | O Pārtha |
| राजसी rājasī | rajasic |
Word-wise Chanting
- ya–yā tu dhar–ma–kā–mār–thān– 8 syllables ya-yaa tu dhar-ma-kaa-maar-thaan-
- dhṛt–yā dhā–ra–ya–te–‘rju–na | 8 syllables dhrit-yaa dhaa-ra-ya-te-‘rju-na
- pra–saṅ–ge–na pha–lā–kāṅ–kṣī 8 syllables pra-san-ge-na pha-laa-kaan-kshee
- dhṛ–tiḥ sā pār–tha rā–ja–sī || 18-34 8 syllables dhri-tih saa paar-tha raa-ja-see
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 34
Context
Krishna describes the three kinds of steadiness (18.33–18.35).
Meaning
Rājasī dhṛti holds firmly to the three worldly aims, dharma, kāma and artha, but with prasaṅga, attachment, and desire for their rewards. It is persistent but self-interested.
This is the persistence of ambition. It can achieve much, but it keeps us bound to results.
In Practice
Notice what you persist in mainly for the reward, and see if you can do it for its own sake.
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.