Bhagavad Gita BG 17.11
Chapter 17, Verse 11 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदिष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥
aphala-kankshibhir yajno vidhi-dishto ya ijyate yashtavyam eveti manah samadhaya sa sattvikah
Meaning
The sacrifice that is offered as the scriptures direct, by those who desire no fruit, with the mind fixed on the thought 'it ought to be done' — that sacrifice is sattvic.
Understanding
The Gita now classifies sacrifice by its motive. The sattvic yajna has three marks: it follows scriptural direction (vidhi-dishtah), it is done without desire for the fruit (aphala-kankshibhih), and the mind is settled on one thought, 'this ought to be done' (yashtavyam eva). Duty, not reward, is what drives it. The rajasic kind follows in 17.12.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिः | aphala-kankshibhih | by those who desire no fruit |
| यज्ञः | yajnah | sacrifice |
| विधिदिष्टः | vidhi-dishtah | prescribed by scriptural rule |
| यः | yah | which |
| इज्यते | ijyate | is performed |
| यष्टव्यम् | yashtavyam | it ought to be performed |
| एव | eva | indeed |
| इति | iti | thus |
| मनः | manah | the mind |
| समाधाय | samadhaya | fixing, settling |
| सः | sah | that |
| सात्त्विकः | sattvikah | sattvic |