<< Chapter 18 Verse 27 >>
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रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः ।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः ॥ १८.२७ ॥

rāgī karma-phala-prepsur-lubdho himsātmako’śuci: |
harṣa-śokānvita: kartā rājasa: parikīrtita: || 18.27 ||

Audio Audio-BG-18.27
 

Rājasika kartā

Krishna proceeds with the dissertation by describing the rājasika performers:

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः ।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः ।।
rāgī karma-phala-prepsur-lubdho himsātmako’śuci: |
harṣa-śokānvita: kartā rājasa: parikīrtita: ||

The rājasika doer is full of desire, always zealously looking for the objective results of actions, covetous, and in that urge given even to violence and impure moves, fervently swinging between joy and sorrow.

In this category, the saṅga or attachmental concerns will be very strong. So the mind becomes passionate, full of desires. As a result, the rājasika kartā thinks only of the external, objective, gross result. He is unable to find any broader relevance and utility for whatever he does.

He is unable to restrain his greed and possessiveness. They begin to overpower him immensely, making him weak. Deluded as he is, he even gets ready to take to violence in gaining his objective. Cleanliness, external and internal, has no appeal for him. Far from being moderate, he indiscreetly indulges in exhilaration, affliction and the like. His mind swings between these opposite emotions. He does not consider these as wrong or disadvantageous. Instead he holds that these are necessary to make him vibrant and active in the world. Such a performer is rājasika.