Gita 14.7
Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga
रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् | तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ||७||
rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛṣṇā-saṅga-samudbhavam | tan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam ||7||
In essence: Rajas is the nature of passion, born of craving and attachment; it binds through attachment to action.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "But action is necessary! We talked about karma yoga. Krishna told Arjuna to fight. How is action suddenly a trap?"
Guru: "Notice Krishna says 'karma-saṅgena' - attachment to action, not action itself. A karma yogi acts without attachment. A rajasic person is driven by compulsion, identified with being the doer, addicted to the feeling of accomplishment."
Sadhak: "How do I tell the difference in myself? I do a lot and achieve things. Am I in rajas or karma yoga?"
Guru: "Several questions reveal it: Can you stop? If you finished everything on your list, would you rest contentedly or immediately find more to do? When you don't accomplish, do you feel okay or do you feel diminished? Is your sense of self tied to your productivity?"
Sadhak: "Honestly... I feel useless when I'm not productive. I can't rest without guilt."
Guru: "That's rajas binding you. Your being has become confused with your doing. The craving (tṛṣṇā) for achievement drives you, and attachment (saṅga) to identity-as-doer keeps you running. Karma yoga would mean action flowing through you without these compulsions."
Sadhak: "But I've accomplished so much through this drive!"
Guru: "And are you satisfied? Or always reaching for the next thing? Rajas can build empires, but it cannot rest within them. The kingdom always needs expansion. Liberation means the ability to act fully when needed and rest fully when action ceases - not driven by craving but responding to what's actually required."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Before beginning your tasks, pause and feel the pull to 'do.' Notice any anxiety about the day's accomplishments. Don't suppress it, just witness. Then ask: 'What actually needs doing today?' The list from genuine necessity is usually shorter than the craving-generated list. Start from clarity, not compulsion.
When you complete something, notice the brief satisfaction followed by the immediate pull toward the next thing. This is rajas in real-time. Experiment: after finishing a task, deliberately pause for 30 seconds before starting the next. Just be. Notice the discomfort rajas creates with non-doing. This noticing weakens rajas's grip.
Review your day's activities. How much was genuine response to actual needs? How much was driven by craving, competition, identity-maintenance, or anxiety? No judgment - just honest assessment. The rajasic tendencies become weaker when seen clearly. Consider: what could be released from tomorrow's list without real consequence?