Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 12 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 17 श्लोक 12 अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्।।17.12।। English Translation - Swami Sivananda 17.12 The sacrifice which is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for ostentation, know thou that to be a Rajasic Yajna. English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 17.12 अभिसंधाय seeking for? तु indeed? फलम् fruit? दम्भार्थम् for ostentation? अपि also? च and? एव even? यत् which? इज्यते is offered? भरतश्रेष्ठ O best of the Bharatas? तम् that? यज्ञम् sacrifice? विद्धि know? राजसम् Rajasic.Commentary If anyone performs a sacrifice in order to obtain? heaven? son? wealth? or name and fame? then it is a sacrifice of a Rajasic nature. The performer of this kind of sacrifice has the motive of increasing his own importance? for popularising his own name in the world? for gaining some reward? for showing himself off as a great? pious and learned man? for making an exhibition of his riches for his own glorificaion. He has no aspiration for attaining the knowledge of the Self. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 17.12Abhisandhaaya tu phalam dambhaarthamapi chaiva yat; Ijyate bharatashreshtha tam yajnam viddhi raajasam. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 17.12abhisandhāya—motivated by; tu—but; phalam—the result; dambha—pride; artham—for the sake of; api—also; cha—and; eva—certainly; yat—that which; ijyate—is performed; bharata-śhreṣhṭha—Arjun, the best of the Bharatas; tam—that; yajñam—sacrifice; viddhi—know; rājasam—in the mode of passion