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अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः।।17.11।।

aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyate yaṣhṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 17, Verse 11
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or pure.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: that sacrifice which is offered by those without desire for reward, as enjoined by scripture, with the mind fixed, believing it must be performed, is of the nature of goodness, defining the clearest form of sacrifice by its inner motivation, duty and belief rather than reward-seeking.

In life: the same act of generosity or service looks completely different depending on whether it's motivated by genuine belief in doing it or by expectation of some reward or recognition in return.

Teaching: before your next act of generosity or service, check honestly whether you're motivated primarily by genuine belief in the act itself or by an expected reward or recognition, that distinction, according to this verse, is what actually determines the quality of the act.

aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥwithout expectation of any reward
yajñaḥsacrifice
vidhi-driṣhṭaḥthat is in accordance with the scriptural injunctions
yaḥwhich
ijyateis performed
yaṣhṭavyam-eva-itiought to be offered
manaḥmind
samādhāyawith conviction
saḥthat
sāttvikaḥof the nature of goodness

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
17.11 अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिः by men desiring no fruit? यज्ञः sacrifice? विधिदृष्टः as enjoined by the ordinance? यः which? इज्यते is offered? यष्टव्यम् ought to be offered? एव only? इति thus? मनः the mind? समाधाय having fixed? सः that? सात्त्विकः Sattvic or pure.Commentary When a sacrifice is done with all due Sattvic rites? faith and devotion? without the least taint of desire for reward? with the mind fixed on the sacrifice only? for its own sake (for the,sake of discharging the duty only)? then it is said to be pure in its nature. Here the sacrifice is done in a disinterested spirit or with an attitude of desirelessness (Nishkamya Bhava) as an auxiliary to the attainment of the knowledge of the Self. Such selfless and desireless actions purify the mind and prepare the aspirant for the reception of divine light or knowledge of the Self. The Sattvic nature of a man forces him to do such selfless and desireless sacrifices. He does not care even for his own emancipation. He performs them with the firm belief that they ought to be done. He does them with the firm resolve that sacrifice is a duty.Yajna here is not limited to the ceremonial sacrifice. It is used in a broad sense. Any unselfish action done without attachment? without agency or egoism and without expectation of reward? as an offering unto the Lord? is a Yajna or sacrifice.