Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.25.23
Ūti· What drives us to actDevotional Work Goes Beyond the Modes
“Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.”
What the purport teaches
- Ordinary work offered to God without desire for its results is in the mode of goodness.
- Work done to enjoy its results is in passion. Work impelled by violence and envy is in ignorance.
- Devotional activities, such as chanting and hearing the Lord’s glories, are transcendental forms of work beyond the modes. Devotional service is the goal, beyond merely working in goodness.
Try this today
Set aside a few minutes today to chant or hear the glories of the Lord.
Ask yourself
How can I give time to devotion rather than only seeking the results of work?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.