Verse-12
Chapter 14 — Gunatreyavibhag Yoga
Verse 12
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaņāmaśamaḥ spṛhā
rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarşabha
🕉 English Translation
Badhe jab rajoguna tab Arjun!
Tu sunn, Swarth mein bhar lagti karmon ki dhun.
Ho lobh, iccha, ashanti bhi tab,
Paida ho yeh vritiyan sab ki sab.
📜 Translation
English
O Arjun! On rajoguna becoming prevalent greed, inclination to initiate action with selfish motive, restlessness and the craving for sensual pleasures-all these negative traits arise.
In human life prevalence towards activities will remain. The human birth is for action! Actions are performed even by the knowledgeable and great souls who have transcended the attributes. But here with the word greed the word inclination is used. All the time the obsession to acquire something! This has been obtained; some more of this should be acquired; why was this not acquired? With this attitude actions are performed! Sometimes for satisfying that greed even improper means are used; this is rajoguna.
Actions are initiated with a selfish motive! Before undertaking any action, inside prevail desires, cravings as well as desire to work for one's own benefit! I should get this happiness, this desire of mine should be fulfilled, how am I concerned about anyone else? Extreme obsession with activities, heap of desires inside create restlessness, instability, mental agitation prevails and this is natural too. Greed, selfishness, longing can never become the basis of mental peace. The outcome of all this is just restlessness! Think and deliberate and introspect; is this the state of our life? If it is so, then know that rajoguna prevails.
See further what happens when tamoguna increases-