Sanskrit
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः । क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥ २४ ॥
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tad rājasam udāhṛtam
Translation
But that action that is done by one longing for desires, or again with egoism, or with much effort, that is declared to be passionate.
Annie Besant · The Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Annie Besant (4th ed., 1922) — Wikisource · Public Domain
Explanation
Rajasic action is done from craving, from egoism, or with excessive strain — the “much effort” detail is a useful diagnostic, since it implies sattvic action can look effortless, or at least unstrained, precisely because it isn’t fighting the ego’s demand for credit or outcome. Compare chapter 3’s description of rajasic sacrifice performed for display: the self-referential motive and visible strain recur across every guna-classified activity this text examines.