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यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन।प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.34।।

yayā tu dharma-kāmārthān dhṛityā dhārayate ‘rjuna prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣhī dhṛitiḥ sā pārtha rājasī

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 34
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
But that, O Arjuna, by which one holds fast to Dharma (duty), enjoyment of pleasures, and earning of wealth, on account of attachment and desire for reward - that firmness, O Arjuna, is Rajasic (passionate).

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: the steadiness by which one holds fast to duty, desire, and wealth, desiring the fruit, out of attachment, is of the nature of passion, describing a more effortful, grasping kind of steadiness, still real persistence, but driven by attachment to specific outcomes rather than clear, calm consistency.

In life: persistence driven by anxious attachment to a specific outcome tends to feel much more exhausting to sustain than persistence coming from calm, clear commitment, even though both can look like the same determined effort from outside.

Teaching: check whether your own current persistence toward a goal is coming from anxious attachment to a specific outcome or calmer, clearer commitment, the exhaustion level of sustaining the effort is often the clearest tell for which one is actually driving it.

yayāby which
tubut
dharma-kāma-arthānduty, pleasures, and wealth
dhṛityāthrough steadfast will
dhārayateholds
arjunaArjun
prasaṅgenadue of attachment
phala-ākāṅkṣhīdesire for rewards
dhṛitiḥdetermination
sāthat
pārthaArjun, the son of Pritha
rājasīin the mode of passion

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.34 यया (by) which? तु but? धर्मकामार्थान् Dharma (duty)? desire and wealth? धृत्या by firmness? धारयते holds? अर्जुन O Arjuna? प्रसङ्गेन on account of attachment? फलाकाङ्क्षी desirous of the fruit of action? धृतिः firmness? सा that? पार्थ O Arjuna? राजसी Rajasic (passionate).Commentary The man of Rajasic firmness imagines that he will achieve the threefold aim of life and clings to it passionately. He is desirous of getting the rewards of his actions. He endeavours to attain Dharma? wealth and pleasure. The firmness of such a person is Rajasic or passionate.Now listen? O Arjuna? to the third kind of firmness -- the Tamasic type.