Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.25.23

mad-arpaṇaḿ niṣphalaḿ vā

sāttvikaḿ nija-karma tat

rājasaḿ phala-sańkalpaḿ

hiḿsā-prāyādi tāmasam

SYNONYMS

mat-arpaṇam — offered unto Me; niṣphalam — done without expectation of result; vā — and; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; nija — accepted as one's prescribed duty; karma — work; tat — that; rājasam — in the mode of passion; phala-sańkalpam — done in expectation of some result; hiḿsā-prāya-ādi — done with violence, envy and so on; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance.

TRANSLATION

Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.

PURPORT

Ordinary work performed as an offering to God, without desire for the result, is understood to be in the mode of goodness, whereas activities of devotion — such as chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord — are transcendental forms of work beyond the modes of nature.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
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