Chapter 17, Verse 11 (Bhagavad Gita 17.11)
Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith
Sanskrit Shloka
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः
Transliteration
aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyate yaṣhṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ
Word Meanings
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
That sacrifice which is performed by those who seek no reward, in accordance with scriptural injunctions, and with a firm conviction of the mind that it is a duty to be performed, is known as Sattvic.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the secret of pure action that liberates the soul from the shackles of karma. By instructing Arjuna to perform sacrifice as a duty without craving for fruits, Shri Krishna teaches us to align our human will with the Divine Order. This Sattvic approach transforms a mere ritual into an act of profound devotion, where the ego dissolves in the performance of duty. As the Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna emphasizes that when we act with such inner purity and adherence to scriptural truth, we cease to accumulate bondage and instead move toward the eternal light of Moksha. This path is the bridge between the limited mortal existence and the infinite consciousness of the Supreme.