18-25

अनुबन्धम् क्षयम् हिंसाम् अनवेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् ।
मोहात् आरभ्यते कर्म यत् तत् तामसम् उच्यते ॥ २५ ॥

anubandham kSayam hiMsAm anavekSya ca pauruSam |
mohAt Arabhyate karma yat tat tAmasam ucyate || 25 ||

यत् कर्म [yat karma] Work that is आरभ्यते [Arabhyate] started मोहात् [mohAt] out of misconception, अनवेक्ष्य [anavekSya] without considering अनुबन्धम् [anubandham] the bondage it brings, क्षयम् [kSayam] the associated expense, हिंसाम् [hiMsAm] the distress च [ca] and पौरुषम् [pauruSam] our capability तत् [tat] - that work उच्यते [ucyate] is said तामसम् [tAmasam] to be in the quality of tamas .

When work is driven by expectation, the consequence sticks - that is the bondage it brings. The associated expense is the material destruction that happens when the work is done. Distress is the hardship caused to other beings while doing this work. Our capability is our ability to complete the work.

When activities are started without consideration to any of these, they are done out of misconception - without knowing that the Lord is the One who makes things happen. Such activities are said to be in the quality of tamas .