Chapter 18, Verse 25
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् | मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते ||१८-२५||
anubandhaṃ kṣayaṃ hiṃsāmanapekṣya ca pauruṣam . mohādārabhyate karma yattattāmasamucyate ||18-25||
Meaning
18.25 That action which is undertaken from delusion, without a regard for the conseences, loss, injury and (one's own) ability that is declared to be Tamasic (dark).
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Tamasic action is launched out of moha, sheer delusion, with no regard for its consequences, the loss or waste it causes, the injury (himsa) it inflicts on others, or even one's own capacity to carry it out. It is blind, heedless doing.
This is the reckless act of the darkened mind — undertaken impulsively, ignoring harm and outcome alike. Where sattva considers rightness and rajas at least calculates gain, tamas considers nothing at all. Krishna's classification thus becomes a practical mirror: before acting, one can ask honestly whether the deed flows from clear duty, from craving, or from blind delusion — and choose accordingly.
💡 Key Takeaway
Acting blindly, heedless of harm, waste, and your own capacity, is action sunk in darkness.
Related Verses
नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते | मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः ||१८-७||
niyatasya tu saṃnyāsaḥ karmaṇo nopapadyate . mohāttasya parityāgastāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ||18-7||
18.7 Verily the renunciation of obligatory action is not proper; the abandonment of the same from delusion is declared to be Tamasic.
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना | करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसंग्रहः ||१८-१८||
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ parijñātā trividhā karmacodanā . karaṇaṃ karma karteti trividhaḥ karmasaṃgrahaḥ ||18-18||
18.18 Knowledge, the knowable and the knower form the threefold impulse to action; the organ, the action and the agent form the threefold basis of action.
यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् | अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१८-२२||
yattu kṛtsnavadekasminkārye saktamahaitukam . atattvārthavadalpaṃ ca tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||18-22||
18.22 But that which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without reason, without foundation in Truth, and trivial that is declared to be Tamasic.