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Chapter 17 · Verse 12
🪈 Krishna speaks
Illustration for Chapter 17, Verse 12

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥

abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārthamapi caiva yat | ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam ||

Word by Word 14 words
अभिसन्धाय
abhi towards sam together dhā to place, to aim

having aimed at, with an eye on

तु
tu but, however

but, however

फलम्
phal to bear fruit

fruit, reward, result

दम्भार्थम्
dambh to deceive, to show off artha purpose, sake

for the sake of show, for display

अपि
api also, even

even, also

च
ca and

and

एव
eva just, indeed

indeed, surely

यत्
yad which, that which

which, that which

इज्यते
yaj to worship, to offer te passive, is done

is offered, is performed

भरतश्रेष्ठ
bharata Bharata, the dynasty śreṣṭha best, foremost

O best of the Bharatas, Arjuna

तम्
tad that

that

यज्ञम्
yaj to worship, to offer

sacrifice, worship

विद्धि
vid to know

know, understand

राजसम्
rañj to colour, to be excited rajas passion, restlessness

of the nature of restless passion, rajasic

says: "But when worship is offered with an eye on the reward it will bring, or simply to show off in front of others, know that kind of worship, O best of the Bharatas, to be restless and proud. It is ." The fire may look the same, but the heart behind it is reaching for a prize or for applause.

कथा

The King Who Worshipped For The Crowd

From the mahabharata

Not far from the Quiet King's land lived another ruler, King Vibhuraja, famous across three kingdoms for his enormous, glittering sacrifices.

When Vibhuraja held a , the whole world was invited to watch. Heralds rode out for days beforehand, calling, "Come and see the greatest sacrifice of the age!" Golden poles were raised. Silk banners snapped in the wind. Servants polished every vessel until it threw back the sun. The king himself wore robes so bright that people shaded their eyes.

A wandering sage came to watch, and stood quietly at the edge of the crowd.

He saw the fire blaze. He saw the king pour the ghee. But he also saw something the cheering crowd did not. Each time King Vibhuraja made an offering, his eyes flicked sideways — checking the faces around him. Were they impressed? Were they watching? Did the visiting kings see how grand he was?

And under his breath, between the chants, the king was bargaining. "Grant me a greater kingdom," he murmured to the fire. "Grant me victory over my neighbours. Grant me a name that outlasts every other king." The offering was not a gift. It was a coin pushed across a counter, expecting change.

Afterward, a young priest asked the sage, "Was that not a magnificent sacrifice, master? Surely the gods were pleased."

The sage chose his words with care, for he wished to teach, not to scorn.

"The fire was real, and the chants were correct," he said. "But look closely at why a thing is done. This king offered for two reasons: to win prizes from the gods, and to shine in front of the crowd. When worship reaches for a reward, or performs for an audience, it is restless and proud. It still burns — but it burns hot and hungry, not cool and clear."

"Is that wrong?" asked the young priest.

"It is not wicked," said the sage gently. "It is simply unfinished. A man can grow out of it, the way a child grows out of doing kind things only when someone is looking. The bright sacrifice asks for nothing and performs for no one. That is what this great fire was missing, and all the gold in the world could not buy it."

He bowed toward the distant, humbler smoke of the Quiet King's altar, and walked on.

चिन्तनम्

Have you ever done a good thing partly to be seen doing it, or to get something back? What might change inside you if you did the very same thing when no one was watching?