Devanagari
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषत: कृतम् ।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ॥ २३ ॥
Verse text
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam
arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam
aphala-prepsunā karma
yat tat sāttvikam ucyate
Synonyms
niyatam
—
regulated
;
saṅga-rahitam
—
without attachment
;
arāga-dveṣataḥ
—
without love or hatred
;
kṛtam
—
done
;
aphala-prepsunā
—
by one without desire for fruitive result
;
karma
—
action
;
yat
—
which
;
tat
—
that
;
sāttvikam
—
in the mode of goodness
;
ucyate
—
is called.
Translation
That action which is regulated and which is performed without attachment, without love or hatred, and without desire for fruitive results is said to be in the mode of goodness.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
23. That action which is done regularly, without attachment or repulsion, without desire for results, is called sattvic.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
23. That action which is done regularly, without the conception of being the agent, without attachment or repulsion, without desire for results, is called sattvika.
Purport
Regulated occupational duties, as prescribed in the scriptures in terms of the different orders and divisions of society, performed without attachment or proprietary rights and therefore without any love or hatred, and performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the satisfaction of the Supreme, without self-satisfaction or self-gratification, are called actions in the mode of goodness.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Having explained the three types of knowledge, the Lord now explains the three types of action. The work which is performed regularly (niyatam), which is without attachment (saṅga rahitam), performed with neither like or dislike (arāga-dveṣataḥ), done without desire for results (aphala-prepsunā), is called sattvic work.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Now the Lord discusses action according to the three modes in three verses. Action prescribed by ones varṇa and āśrama (niyatam), devoid of the concept of being the agent (saṅga rahitam), which is not done out of attraction for fame or hatred of dishonor, and devoid of the desire for results, performed as worship of the Lord, is called action in the mode of goodness.
Surrender Unto Me
We have already heard in this chapter how Krsna is recommending action or renunciation to be done in the mode of goodness, but see how closely Srila Prabhupada in his Purport equates the mode of goodness exactly with Krsna consciousness, because if one is acting in Krsna consciousness generally he will simply act in the mode of goodness. That is his basic mode of action. So, in his Purport Srila Prabhupada says: "Regulated occupational duties, as prescribed in the scriptures in terms of the different orders and divisions of society, performed without attachment or proprietary rights and therefore without any love or hatred, and performed in Krsna consciousness for the satisfaction of the Supreme, without self‑satisfa or self‑gratification, are called actions in the mo goodness."