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GĪTĀ, TRANSLATION & COMMENTARY, CH. XVIII 11911
६६ सुखं त्विदानी त्रिविधं शृणु मे भरतर्षभ ।
अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥ ३६॥ यत्तदने विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् ।
तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥ ३७॥ interpreted it as meaning, 'Yoga in the shape of Abandonment of the Fruit of Action', having regard to the anterior and the posterior contexts. Just as in describing the characteristics of the sāttvika Karma of the sättvika Doer, the quality of 'giving up the Attachment to the Fruit' has been considered important, so in considering the characteristics of sättvika Steadfastness, the same quality must also be considered important. Besides, it is stated in the next stanza that rājasa Steadfastness desires the Fruit of Action. It, therefore, follows even from the next stanza, that sättvika Steadfastness must be the opposite, that is to say, must be indifferent to the Fruit of Action. In short, strength of determination is only a mental process; and in order to decide whether that determination is good or bad, one must take into account the Action to which that mental process is applied. If the Steadfastness is only in the matter of sleep, idleness, etc., then it is tāmasa ; if it is in the matter of performing the ordinary daily Actions with the Hope of Fruit, it is rājasa ; and if it is in the Yoga, in the shape of the Abandonment of Fruit of Action, then it is sāttvika. These are the sub-divisions of Steadfastness. Now, the Blessed Lord explains how happiness is sub-divided into three kinds as a result of the difference in the three constituents-1
(36) Now, O Bharata-śrestha ! I will also explain the three kinds of happiness, which hear. That, in which a man is engrossed by abhyāsa (that is, by constantly having it), and in which, unhappiness comes to an end; (37) that, which is like poison in the beginning, but nectar-like in its effects; that happiness, arising from the satisfaction of the Self-engrossed Reason, (that is to say, Metaphysical happi
