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Chapter 18 • Verse 27
The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation
MEANING & CONTEXT
Krishna explains the rajasic doer. 'Rāgī karma-phala-prepṣur lubdho hiṁsātmako 'śuciḥ'—passionate (rāgī), desiring fruits of action (karma-phala-prepṣuḥ), greedy (lubdhaḥ), of violent nature (hiṁsā-ātmakaḥ), impure (aśuciḥ). 'Harṣa-śokānvitaḥ kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ'—full of (anvitaḥ) joy (harṣa) and sorrow (śoka), the doer (kartā) is declared (parikīrtitaḥ) to be rajasic (rājasaḥ). This is the rajasic doer: passionate, attached to fruits, greedy, potentially harmful, impure, and affected by joy and sorrow. This is the middle kind of doer: driven by rajas (passion), which creates attachment to results, greed, and emotional volatility. Unlike the sattvic doer (which is detached and balanced), the rajasic doer is attached to outcomes, driven by passion, and affected by emotions. This doer is bound by attachment to fruits and emotional reactions.
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How this ancient wisdom applies to your daily life
Key Takeaway
This verse explains the rajasic doer: the doer who is passionate (rāgī), desiring fruits of action (karma-phala-prepṣur), greedy (lubdho), of violent nature (hiṁsātmako), impure (aśuciḥ), and full of joy and sorrow (harṣa-śokānvitaḥ), is declared to be rajasic (kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ). This is the middle kind of doer: driven by rajas (passion), which creates attachment to results, greed, and emotional volatility. Unlike the sattvic doer (detached, balanced), the rajasic doer is attached to outcomes, driven by passion, and affected by emotions. This doer is bound by attachment to fruits and emotional reactions. When you understand this, you realize: you can work toward sattvic doer by being free from attachment to fruits, without emotional volatility, balanced in success and failure. This is the path: moving from rajasic (attached, emotional) to sattvic (detached, balanced) doer.
Personal Reflection
Are you passionate, greedy, attached to fruits, and full of joy and sorrow? Are you operating as a rajasic doer? What would change if you understood rajasic doer and worked toward sattvic doer—free from attachment, without ego, balanced?
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