Bhagavad Gita · Shraddhatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter 17, Shloka 27 (17.27)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते
॥ 17.27 ॥
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate
karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityevābhidhīyate
Translation
"Steadfastness (nishtha) in yajna, austerity and giving is also called 'sat'; and action done for their sake is likewise called 'sat'."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. yajñe yajñakarmaṇi yā sthitiḥ; tadarthīyaṃ yajñadānatapo'rthīyam.
Acharya Ramanuja. vaidikānāṃ traivarṇikānāṃ yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ kalyāṇatayā sad iti ucyate.
Shridhara Swami. A lovely list of "action done for their sake": pūjopahāragṛhāṅgaṇaparimārjanopaleparaṅgamāṅgalikādikriyāḥ — the materials of worship, cleaning the house and courtyard, plastering, auspicious work like rangoli; and udyānaśālikṣetradhanārjanādiviṣayaṃ — garden, field, even earning money, if done with that purpose.
Madhusudana Saraswati. bhagavadarpaṇabuddhyā kriyamāṇaṃ karma vā tadarthīyaṃ sad ity evābhidhīyate — any action done in the spirit of offering it to the Lord is "sat".
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.