Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingनियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम्।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते
niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣhataḥ kṛitam
aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam uchyate
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThe daily obligatory action which is performed without attachment and without likes or dislikes, by one who does not hanker for rewards, is said to be born of sattva.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
जो कर्म (शास्त्रविधि से) नियत और संगरहित है, तथा फल को न चाहने वाले पुरुष के द्वारा बिना किसी राग द्वेष के किया गया है, वह (कर्म) सात्त्विक कहा जाता है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiनियतं सङ्ग रहितम्
अरागद् वेषत% कृतम्
अफलप् रेप्सुना कर्म
यत् तत् सात् त्विक मुच्यते
॥ २३ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthaniyatamin accordance with scriptures
saṅga-rahitamfree from attachment
arāga-dveṣhataḥfree from attachment and aversion
kṛitamdone
aphala-prepsunāwithout desire for rewards
karmaaction
yatwhich
tatthat
sāttvikamin the mode of goodness
uchyateis called
Meaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA18.23What action is sāttvika — done how, by whom?
The daily obligatory action which is performed without attachment and without likes or dislikes, by one who does not hanker for rewards, is said to be born of sattva.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.