Verse 18.23

Verse 18.23: “An action which is enjoined, and is done without attachment and without passion or aversion, by one who has no longing for its fruit: that is called Sattva-dominated. (586)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

(Such) action (as) of its own accord devolves on the doer according as the doer may be qualified to, in the way a chaste and loyal wife embraces her (beloved) husband. Such an action becomes an ornament to the fitness of the doer, in the way does sandal paste (decoration) to a dark complexioned one, or collyrium to the eyes of a young lady. Day-to-day actions (duties) are in themselves good. Coupling them to occasional ones amounts to adding fragrance to gold. A mother protects her child (even) at the cost of her wealth in the form of body and life, and yet her mind never gets tired of it. In that way he performs actions with heart and soul, without an eye to their fruit, and dedicates them wholly to Supreme Brahman; and good actions performed with even mind, feeling no bitterness in case the actions remain incomplete, or are not done at all, not getting elated at the successful completion—in the way the idea never even touches the mind of a gentle wife while serving a meal to dear ones (husband, children, etc.) that the food (supply) might all get exhausted or sufficient portion of it might not be left over for her use; so he should behave when pious men come (to his house) and should not mind the loss of his daily vows while honouring the guests. Actions, performed with such methods, are, Oh Dhananjaya, from their own Guna property, called Sattva-dominated ones. Now I shall explain the signs of Rajas-actions and (take care) that your attention does not slacken.