🪷 Bhagavad-Gītā · 18.34

Chapter 18 · मोक्षसंन्यासयोग · Mokṣa-Sannyāsa-Yoga · "The Yoga of Liberation & Renunciation" · Verse 34 of 78

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन।प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.34।।
— Bhagavad-Gītā 18.34 · Devanāgarī root text

🪷 English Translations

5 received English translations are available for this śloka. Each voice is labelled; no single rendering is presented as the Sanskrit itself.

Shri Purohit Swami · Poetic English · 1935 edition attribution in the received data
18.34 The conviction which always holds fast to rituals, to self-interest and wealth, for the sake of what they may bring forth - that comes from Passion.
Swami Sivananda · Direct prose · Divine Life Society
18.34 But that, O Arjuna, by which, on account of attachment and desire for reward, one holds fast to Dharma (duty), enjoyment of pleasures and earning of wealth that firmness, O Arjuna, is Rajasic (passionate).
Swami Gambīrānanda · Word-key glosses · Advaita Ashrama · Śaṅkara-school
18.34 Tu, but, O Partha; the dhrtya, firmness; yaya, with which; a person dharayate, holds on to; dharma-kama-arthan, righteousness, covetable things and wealth-entertains the conviction in the mind that these ought to be pursued always; and becomes phala-akanksi, desirous of their fruits; prasangena, as the occasion for each arises, according as the situation arises for holding on to any one of dharma etc.; sa, that; dhrtih, firmness; is rajasi, born of rajas.
Swami Ādidevānanda · Śrī-Vaiṣṇava perspective · Rāmānuja school
18.34 That Dhrti by which a person who, desirous of fruits, i.e., through intense attachment holds fast to duty, desires, and wealth, is of the nature of Rajas. By the terms 'Dharma-kam'artha,' the activities of the mind, vital force and senses as a means for the attainment of Dharma (duty) Kama (pleasure) and Artha (wealth) are signified. Even in the expression, 'One desirous of fruits,' that term indicates duty, desire and wealth, on account of the Rajasika nature of the aspirant. Therefore, what is said amounts to this: the Dhrti by which one maintains activities of the mind etc., with the purpose of attaining duty; desire and wealth, is of the nature of Rajas.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Academic precision · modern scholarly
18.34. O Arjuna ! The content by which one restrains one's bounden duty, pleasure and wealth, and conseently desiring the fruits [of action]-that content is of the Rajas (Strand), O son of Prtha !

🪷 Hindi Translation · हिन्दी अनुवाद

Received Hindi rendering attributed in the source data to Swami Rāmsukhdās ji.

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Hindi rendering · source-data attribution
।।18.34।।हे पृथानन्दन अर्जुन ! फलकी इच्छावाला मनुष्य जिस धृतिके द्वारा धर्म, काम (भोग) और अर्थको अत्यन्त आसक्तिपूर्वक धारण करता है, वह धृति राजसी है।

🪷 English Commentaries · The Ācārya Voices

5 received English commentary layers are available for this śloka. Open only the voice you wish to study.

Swami Sivananda · Verse-by-verse word-keys with Sanskrit anchors
18.34 यया (by) which? तु but? धर्मकामार्थान् Dharma (duty)? desire and wealth? धृत्या by firmness? धारयते holds? अर्जुन O Arjuna? प्रसङ्गेन on account of attachment? फलाकाङ्क्षी desirous of the fruit of action? धृतिः firmness? सा that? पार्थ O Arjuna? राजसी Rajasic (passionate).Commentary The man of Rajasic firmness imagines that he will achieve the threefold aim of life and clings to it passionately. He is desirous of getting the rewards of his actions. He endeavours to attain Dharma? wealth and pleasure. The firmness of such a person is Rajasic or passionate.Now listen? O Arjuna? to the third kind of firmness -- the Tamasic type.
Swami Gambīrānanda · Advaita-school commentary (Śaṅkara tradition)
18.34 Tu, but, O Partha; the dhrtya, firmness; yaya, with which; a person dharayate, holds on to; dharma-kama-arthan, righteousness, covetable things and wealth-entertains the conviction in the mind that these ought to be pursued always; and becomes phala-akanksi, desirous of their fruits; prasangena, as the occasion for each arises, according as the situation arises for holding on to any one of dharma etc.; sa, that; dhrtih, firmness; is rajasi, born of rajas.
Swami Ādidevānanda · Rāmānuja Śrī-Vaiṣṇava commentary
18.34 That Dhrti by which a person who, desirous of fruits, i.e., through intense attachment holds fast to duty, desires, and wealth, is of the nature of Rajas. By the terms 'Dharma-kam'artha,' the activities of the mind, vital force and senses as a means for the attainment of Dharma (duty) Kama (pleasure) and Artha (wealth) are signified. Even in the expression, 'One desirous of fruits,' that term indicates duty, desire and wealth, on account of the Rajasika nature of the aspirant. Therefore, what is said amounts to this: the Dhrti by which one maintains activities of the mind etc., with the purpose of attaining duty; desire and wealth, is of the nature of Rajas.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Modern academic scholarship
18.34 See Comment under 18.35
Swami Chinmayānanda · Chinmaya Mission · modern Vedantic teaching
।।18.34।। मनुष्य जीवन के चार पुरुषार्थ हैं अर्थात् प्रयत्नों के द्वारा प्राप्त करने योग्य लक्ष्यधर्म (पुण्य)? अर्थ? काम और मोक्ष। जिस सातत्य के साथ मनुष्य धर्म? अर्थ और काम को धारण करता है? वह राजसी धृति कहलाती है। यहाँ मोक्ष का अनुल्लेख ध्यान देने योग्य है। राजसी पुरुष को संसार बन्धनों से सदैव के लिए मुक्त होने की इच्छा नहीं होती।राजसी पुरुष का धर्माचरण भी पुण्यप्राप्ति के द्वारा स्वर्गादि लोकों के सुख भोग के लिए ही होता है। अर्थ से तात्पर्य धन? सत्ता? अधिकार आदि से है? तथा काम का अर्थ विषयोपभोग है। रजोगुणी पुरुष की यह दृढ़ धारणा होती है कि इन्द्रियों के विषय ही सुख का साधन हैं।

🪷 Hindi Vyākhyā · हिन्दी व्याख्या

Received Hindi vyākhyā attributed in the source data to Swami Rāmsukhdās ji.

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Hindi vyākhyā · source-data attribution
।।18.34।। व्याख्या -- यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या ৷৷. सा पार्थ राजसी -- राजसी धारणशक्तिसे मनुष्य अपनी कामनापूर्तिके लिये धर्मका अनुष्ठान करता है? काम अर्थात् भोगपदार्थोंको भोगता है और अर्थ अर्थात् धनका संग्रह करता है।अमावस्या? पूर्णिमा? व्यतिपात आदि अवसरोंपर दान करना? तीर्थोंमें अन्नदान करना पर्वोंपर उत्सव मनाना तीर्थयात्रा करना धार्मिक संस्थाओंमें चन्दाचिट्ठाके रूपमें कुछ चढ़ा देना कभी कथाकीर्तन? भगवतसप्ताह आदि करवा लेना -- यह सब केवल कामनापूर्तिके लिये करना ही धर्म को धारण करना है (टिप्पणी प0 916)।सांसारिक भोगपदार्थ तो प्राप्त होने ही चाहिये क्योंकि भोगपदार्थोंसे ही सुख मिलता है? संसारमें कोई भी प्राणी ऐसा नहीं है? जो भोगपदार्थोंकी कामना न करता हो यदि मनुष्य भोगोंकी कामना न करे तो उसका जीवन ही व्यर्थ है -- ऐसी धारणके साथ भोगपदार्थोंकी कामनापूर्तिमें ही लगे रहना काम को धारण करना है।धनके बिना दुनियामें किसीका भी काम नहीं चलता धनसे ही धर्म होता है यदि पासमें धन न हो तो आदमी धर्म कर ही नहीं सकता जितने आयोजन किये जाते हैं? वे सब धनसे ही तो होते हैं आज जितने आदमी बड़े कहलाते हैं? वे सब धनके कारण ही तो बड़े बने हैं धन होनेसे ही लोग आदरसम्मान करते हैं जिसके पास धन नहीं होता? उसको संसारमें कोई पूछता ही नहीं अतः धनका खूब संग्रह करना चाहिये -- इस प्रकार धनमें ही रचेपचे रहना अर्थ को धारण करना है। संसारमें अत्यन्त राग (आसक्ति) होनेके कारण राजस पुरुष शास्त्रकी मर्यादाके अनुसार जो कुछ भी शुभ काम करता है? उसमें उसकी यही कामना रहती है कि इस कर्मका मुझे इस लोकमें सुख? आराम? मान? सत्कार आदि मिले और परलोकमें सुखभोग? मिले। ऐसे फलकी कामनावाले तथा संसारमें अत्यन्त आसक्त मनुष्यकी धारणशक्ति राजसी होती है। सम्बन्ध -- अब तामसी धृतिके लक्षण बताते हैं।

🪷 Place in the Bhagavad-Gītā

← Previous verse · BG 18.33Adhyāya 18Next verse · BG 18.35 →
📚 Cite this verse · Academic citation formats
APA: Vyāsa Maharṣi. (n.d.). Bhagavad-Gītā 18.34. Vidhyāmitra. Retrieved 2026-08-17, from https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/18/34
Chicago: Vyāsa Maharṣi. "Bhagavad-Gītā 18.34." Vidhyāmitra. Accessed 2026-08-17. https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/18/34.
MLA: Vyāsa Maharṣi. "Bhagavad-Gītā 18.34." Vidhyāmitra, 2026, https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/18/34.
Canonical reading URL: https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/18/34. This citation identifies Vidhyamitra's received digital witness; consult a named scholarly or printed edition when edition-specific authority is required.

Continue the Pāṭha

Source and edition boundary

This page is rendered from the pinned 701-address witness documented on the Gītā index. Publication and search-indexing authorization for every bundled translation and commentary layer was confirmed on 4 August 2026; the exact received recension boundary remains disclosed separately.

🪷 ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय 🪷

सर्वम् कृष्णार्पणम् — this verse is one maṇi (jewel) on Krishna's thread (BG 7.7)