Text 23
mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā
sāttvikaṁ nija-karma tat
rājasaṁ phala-saṅkalpaṁ
hiṁsā-prāyādi tāmasam
mat-arpaṇam — offered unto Me; niṣphalam — done without expectation of result; vā — and; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; nija — accepted as one’s prescribed duty; karma — work; tat — that; rājasam — in the mode of passion; phala-saṅkalpam — done in expectation of some result; hiṁsā-prāya-ādi — done with violence, envy and so on; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance.
Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.
Ordinary work performed as an offering to God, without desire for the result, is understood to be in the mode of goodness, whereas activities of devotion — such as chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord — are transcendental forms of work beyond the modes of nature.