Bhagavad Gita 18.34 · Krishna
Resolve for rewards
यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन।
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी॥
yayā tu dharmakāmārthāndhṛtyā dhārayate’arjunaprasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasī
The resolve by which one holds to duty, pleasure and wealth, craving their rewards out of attachment, is restless, Arjuna.
Words
- dharma
- rajas
What it means
Krishna describes rajasic dhriti. Determination aimed at dharma, duty, pleasure and wealth, but driven by craving their rewards. It holds firm as long as the payoff looks good. When the reward disappears, so does the commitment.
The story
Arjuna has seen allies who stayed loyal only while they expected land or gold. Krishna names that kind of conditional resolve, and asks Arjuna for something steadier.
In your life
Think of a friend who exercised for a wedding, then stopped completely afterwards. Choose one commitment this week that you'll keep even without a reward.
Commitment for rewards fades with them.