17.11 An offering wanting nothing Krishna speaks
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः
aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyate
yaṣhṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ
An offering made as the scriptures direct, by those who want no fruit from it, holding only that it is to be done, is of clarity.
Explanation
The offering that wants nothing.
Made as directed, by those who want no fruit, holding only that it is to be done — yaṣṭavyam eveti.
That phrase is chapter 2's instruction wearing ritual clothes. The act is identical to the one graded lower in the next verse; what differs is entirely what is wanted from it.
Word by word
- aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ
- without expectation of any reward
- yajñaḥ
- sacrifice
- vidhi-driṣhṭaḥ
- that is in accordance with the scriptural injunctions
- yaḥ
- which
- ijyate
- is performed
- yaṣhṭavyam-eva-iti
- ought to be offered
- manaḥ
- mind
- samādhāya
- with conviction
- saḥ
- that
- sāttvikaḥ
- of the nature of goodness
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