Bhagavad Gita 18.31 — Rājasic Intellect: Confused Understanding of Right and Wrong
यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च ।
अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥ १८.३१ ॥
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That intellect by which one understands righteousness and unrighteousness, and what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, incorrectly, O Arjuna, is rājasic (passion-driven).
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| yayā | by which |
| dharmam | righteousness |
| adharmam | unrighteousness |
| cha | and |
| kāryam | what ought to be done |
| cha | and |
| akāryam | what ought not to be done |
| eva | also |
| cha | and |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ayathāvat | not correctly, imperfectly |
| prajānāti | understands |
| buddhiḥ | intellect |
| sā | that |
| pārtha | O Arjuna |
| rājasī | rājasic, passion-driven |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| yayā | by which | ayathāvat | not correctly, imperfectly |
| dharmam | righteousness | prajānāti | understands |
| adharmam | unrighteousness | buddhiḥ | intellect |
| cha | and | sā | that |
| kāryam | what ought to be done | pārtha | O Arjuna |
| cha | and | rājasī | rājasic, passion-driven |
| akāryam | what ought not to be done | ||
| eva | also | ||
| cha | and | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse, Lord Krishna describes <em>rājasic buddhi</em>. It is the intellect that does not understand dharma and adharma, or what ought and ought not to be done, in the right way.
Essence
The intellect that is clouded by desire
The second kind of understanding is not blind, but it is unreliable. It touches the right questions yet fails to answer them accurately.
Dharmam adharmaṁ ca (righteousness and unrighteousness): The person knows that these categories exist and has some sense of right and wrong.
Kāryaṁ cākāryam eva ca (what should and should not be done): The person also has some idea about duty and its opposite.
Ayathāvat prajānāti (understands wrongly or incompletely): This is the key phrase. The understanding is not as it truly is. It is partial, shifting, or bent toward the person's convenience.
Sā buddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasī (that understanding, O Pārtha, is rājasic): The condition is one of restless mental activity, not of darkness.
Why does desire distort understanding?
Rajas is the quality of craving and agitation. When the mind is full of wants, it tends to interpret right and wrong in the way that serves those wants. A person who strongly desires a certain outcome easily convinces themselves that it is justified. Rationalisation becomes automatic, and the intellect behaves like a lawyer for the desires rather than as an impartial judge.
This is a subtle and widespread problem. It does not require bad intentions. It only requires a strong enough desire and a mind that is not calm enough to see clearly.
Message for Everyday Life (Watching for Convenient Reasoning)
We are all capable of finding good reasons for what we already want to do.
A useful test: When you find a very persuasive argument for doing something you strongly desire, pause and ask, Would I reach the same conclusion if I had no stake in the matter? Consulting a trusted and honest friend can also help, since they are free from your particular craving.
The intellect that is clouded by desire
The second kind of understanding is not blind, but it is unreliable. It touches the right questions yet fails to answer them accurately.
Dharmam adharmaṁ ca (righteousness and unrighteousness): The person knows that these categories exist and has some sense of right and wrong.
Kāryaṁ cākāryam eva ca (what should and should not be done): The person also has some idea about duty and its opposite.
Ayathāvat prajānāti (understands wrongly or incompletely): This is the key phrase. The understanding is not as it truly is. It is partial, shifting, or bent toward the person's convenience.
Sā buddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasī (that understanding, O Pārtha, is rājasic): The condition is one of restless mental activity, not of darkness.
Why does desire distort understanding?
Rajas is the quality of craving and agitation. When the mind is full of wants, it tends to interpret right and wrong in the way that serves those wants. A person who strongly desires a certain outcome easily convinces themselves that it is justified. Rationalisation becomes automatic, and the intellect behaves like a lawyer for the desires rather than as an impartial judge.
This is a subtle and widespread problem. It does not require bad intentions. It only requires a strong enough desire and a mind that is not calm enough to see clearly.
Message for Everyday Life (Watching for Convenient Reasoning)
We are all capable of finding good reasons for what we already want to do.
A useful test: When you find a very persuasive argument for doing something you strongly desire, pause and ask, Would I reach the same conclusion if I had no stake in the matter? Consulting a trusted and honest friend can also help, since they are free from your particular craving.
Next Topic
Lord Krishna has shown how restlessness bends the intellect. In the next verse, He describes the lowest kind, <em>tāmasic buddhi</em>, which is wrapped in darkness and sees wrong as right.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Strong wants cloud clear thinking.
Ask whether you are judging or justifying.
Passion tells convenient stories.
A quiet mind sees straight.
Right and wrong need a steady eye.
Partial understanding is not total understanding.
Clarity is trainable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'ayathāvat' (not correctly) mean in this verse?
How is the 'rājasī' (passion-driven) intellect different from the 'tāmasī' (of the nature of ignorance) intellect?
What do 'kārya' (what ought to be done) and 'akārya' (what ought not to be done) mean here?
Why does 'rajas' (the quality of passion and restlessness) cause such confusion?
What is the practical message of this verse in one sentence?
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