Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Chapter 18 Text Three kinds of Knowledge, action and the performer of action.

Text 19 jïänaà karma ca kartä ca tridhaiva guëa-bhedataù procyate guëa-saìkhyäne yathävac chåëu täny api According to the three different modes of material nature, there are three kinds of knowledge, action and performer of action. Now hear of them from Me.

Text sarva-bhüteñu yenaikaà bhävam avyayam ékñate avibhaktaà vibhakteñu taj jïänaà viddhi sättvikam påthaktvena tu yaj jïänaà nänä-bhävän påthag-vidhän vetti sarveñu bhüteñu taj jïänaà viddhi räjasam yat tu kåtsna-vad ekasmin kärye saktam ahaitukam atattvärtha-vad alpaà ca tat tämasam udähåtam That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities, though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to be in the mode of goodness. That knowledge by which one sees that in every different body there is a different type of living entity you should understand to be in the mode of passion. And that knowledge by which one is attached to one kind of work as the all in all, without knowledge of the truth, and which is very meager, is said to be in the mode of darkness.

Knowledge in 3 modes A person who sees one spirit soul in every living being, whether a demigod, human being, animal, bird, beast, aquatic or plant, possesses knowledge in the mode of goodness. The concept that the material body is the living entity and that with the destruction of the body the consciousness is also destroyed is called knowledge in the mode of passion. The "knowledge" of the common man is always in the mode of darkness or ignorance because every living entity in conditional life is born into the mode of ignorance.

Text niyataà saìga-rahitam aräga-dveñataù kåtam aphala-prepsunä karma yat tat sättvikam ucyate yat tu kämepsunä karma sähaìkäreëa vä punaù kriyate bahuläyäsaà tad räjasam udähåtam anubandhaà kñayaà hiàsäm anapekñya ca pauruñam mohäd ärabhyate karma yat tat tämasam ucyate That action which is regulated and which is performed without attachment, without love or hatred, and without desire for fruitive results is said to be in the mode of goodness. But action performed with great effort by one seeking to gratify his desires, and enacted from a sense of false ego, is called action in the mode of passion. That action performed in illusion, in disregard of scriptural injunctions, and without concern for future bondage or for violence or distress caused to others is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Three kinds of actions Regulated occupational duties (goodness), performed without attachment or proprietary rights, without any love or hatred, performed in Kåñëa consciousness for the satisfaction of the Supreme, without self-satisfaction or self-gratification. Passionate work - actions performed for sense gratification. Ignorance - Irresponsible work is destructive because it destroys the regulative principles of scriptural injunction. It is often based on violence and is distressing to other living entities.

Text mukta-saìgo 'nahaà-vädé dhåty-utsäha- samanvitaù siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikäraù kartä sättvika ucyate rägé karma-phala-prepsur lubdho hiàsätmako 'çuciù harña-çokänvitaù kartä räjasaù parikértitaù ayuktaù präkåtaù stabdhaù çaöho naiñkåtiko 'lasaù viñädé dérgha-sütré ca kartä tämasa ucyate One who performs his duty without association with the modes of material nature, without false ego, with great determination and enthusiasm, and without wavering in success or failure is said to be a worker in the mode of goodness. The worker who is attached to work and the fruits of work, desiring to enjoy those fruits, and who is greedy, always envious, impure, and moved by joy and sorrow, is said to be in the mode of passion. The worker who is always engaged in work against the injunctions of the scripture, who is materialistic, obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others, and who is lazy, always morose and procrastinating is said to be a worker in the mode of ignorance.

Workers in 3 modes One situated in the mode of goodness : has no expectations for the result of the work, is above false ego and pride, is always enthusiastic till the completion of such work, does not worry about the distress undertaken; does not care for success or failure; is equal in both distress and happiness. The worker in the mode of passion : is too much attached to a certain kind of work or to the result has too much attachment for materialism or hearth and home, wife and children. has no desire for higher elevation in life, is simply concerned with making this world as materially comfortable as possible, is generally very greedy, thinks that anything attained by him is permanent, is envious of others and prepared to do anything wrong for sense gratification, is unclean, does not care whether his earning is pure or impure, is very happy if his work is successful and very much distressed when his work is not successful. Workers in the mode of ignorance : Those who do not care for scriptural injunctions engage in work not to be done, and such persons are generally materialistic, work according to the modes of nature (esp. ignorance) not very gentle, always cunning and expert in insulting others, very lazy; they appear to be morose on account of procrastinating; anything which can be done in an hour they drag on for years.