Bhagavad Gita 18.27 · Krishna
The restless doer
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः॥
rāgī karmaphalaprepsurlubdho hiṃsātmako’aśuciḥharṣaśokānvitaḥ kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ
A doer full of passion, craving the fruit, greedy, harmful, impure, swept by joy and grief, is called restless.
Words
- rajas
What it means
Krishna describes the rajasic doer. Driven by passion and craving for results. Greedy. Willing to harm others to get ahead. Careless about integrity. And tossed between elation and despair with every outcome. It's an exhausting way to live, always up or down.
The story
Arjuna has seen such warriors, triumphant one day, crushed the next. Krishna shows him that life doesn't have to swing like that.
In your life
Imagine someone checking their investments ten times a day, ecstatic one hour, panicked the next. Notice one place your mood depends on results. Loosen it this week.
Steady doers don't ride the rollercoaster.