abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api caiva yat ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam
"But that sacrifice offered with a view to the fruit, or for the sake of display, O best of Bharatas—know that to be rajasic."
What This Means:
Sacrifice performed to get results or to show off—'Look how religious I am!'—is rajasic. The motivation is desire or pride, not pure devotion.
Going Deeper:
'Abhisandhāya phalam'—with a view to fruit (I worship to get something). 'Dambha-artham api'—also for display (to appear pious). This is transactional religion: I give to get, or I worship to impress. 'Rājasam'—rajasic. The worship is real, but the motivation corrupts it.
How To Apply This:
Examine your worship motivation. Are you praying for results? Do you make sure others see your religious practice? This isn't wrong—it's just rajasic. Gradually purify motivation toward selflessness.
Key Sanskrit Terms: