Devanagari
सात्त्विक: कारकोऽसङ्गी रागान्धो राजस: स्मृत: ।
तामस: स्मृतिविभ्रष्टो निर्गुणो मदपाश्रय: ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
sāttvikaḥ kārako ’saṅgī
rāgāndho rājasaḥ smṛtaḥ
tāmasaḥ smṛti-vibhraṣṭo
nirguṇo mad-apāśrayaḥ
Synonyms
sāttvikaḥ
—
in the mode of goodness
;
kārakaḥ
—
the performer of activities
;
asaṅgī
—
free from attachment
;
rāga
—
andhaḥ — blinded by personal desire
;
rājasaḥ
—
the performer in the mode of passion
;
smṛtaḥ
—
is considered
;
tāmasaḥ
—
the performer in the mode of ignorance
;
smṛti
—
from remembrance of what is what
;
vibhraṣṭaḥ
—
fallen
;
nirguṇaḥ
—
transcendental
;
mat
—
apāśrayaḥ — he who has taken shelter of Me .
Translation
A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness, a worker blinded by personal desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter of Me is understood to be transcendental to the modes of nature.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
A performer of action who is free of attachment is in sattva, a performer of action overcome by sense objects is in rajas, and a performer of action who is devoid of inquiry is in tamas. But a performer of action who has taken shelter of me alone is beyond the guṇas.
A doer who is unattached is in sattva. A doer who is blind with attachment, overcome by sense objects, is in rajas. A doer devoid of inquiry is in tamas. The devotee who is surrendered only to me is beyond the guṇas.
Purport
A transcendental worker performs his activities in strict accordance with the directions of Lord Kṛṣṇa and the Lord’s bona fide representatives. Taking shelter of the Lord’s guidance, such a worker remains transcendental to the material modes of nature.