Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Verse 28

Bhagavad Gita 18.28

Dullness in the doer makes even action inert and harmful.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः ।
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो कर्ता असावधान, अशिक्षित, ऐंठअकड़वाला, जिद्दी, उपकारीका अपकार करनेवाला, आलसी, विषादी और दीर्घसूत्री है, वह तामस कहा जाता है ॥
English
A careless, crude, stubborn, deceitful, lazy, gloomy, and procrastinating doer is called tamasic.

What this verse means

A person who acts carelessly, lazily, stubbornly, and deceitfully is working from tamasic energy. That kind of action is dull, delayed, and harmful.

Context & commentary

On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna frozen and Krishna sorting the nature of action, the teaching now turns to the lowest kind of doer. After describing clear and passionate action, Krishna names the dull, delaying, and harmful pattern that keeps a person stuck.

Why this verse still matters

You keep postponing the hard email, then tell yourself you will do it tomorrow. The task is still there, but your energy has gone heavy, vague, and self-protective.

The takeaway

It helps you notice when resistance, delay, and self-deception are draining your actions.

Word-by-word translation

अयुक्तः (undisciplined/careless) / प्राकृतः (crude/unenlightened) / स्तब्धः (stubborn/obstinate) / शठः (deceitful) / नैष्कृतिकः (malicious/ungrateful) / अलसः (lazy) / विषादी (gloomy) / दीर्घसूत्री (procrastinating) / च (and) / कर्ता (doer) / तामसः (tamasic) / उच्यते (is called)

Explore related themes: tamas (18 verses)

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