1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 34

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The grades in the firmness of mind are being described now:

The Three Gunas Give Impetus to Karma - 18-40

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 34

Yaya tu dharma kamarthan dhrutya dharaya te arjuna I

Prasangena phala akankshi dhritih sa partha rajasi II sloka 34

यया तु धर्म काम अर्थान धृत्या धारय ते अर्जुन I 

प्रसङ्गेन फल अकान्क्षी धृतिः स पार्थ राजसि II श्लोक 34

But the firmness, O Arjuna, by which one holds fast to dharma, artha and kama, desirous of the fruit of each from attachment, that firmness, O Partha is rajasika.

Purushartha or the ideal of life is four phased. The phases are dharma artha kama and moksha. Conforming to the law of life is dharmam.  Practical training in this respect is imparted in the brahmacharya asrama or teh period of tutelage. The mature man learns to earn wealth and enjoy the pleasure that life provides. These two phases are called as artha and kama respectively. Preyas comprises of all the first three phases. Dhriti mentioned in the previous sloka leads the aspirant to  sreyas culminating in moksha or liberation. The sattvika man alone is competent for it.  The rajasika man has scope in dharma artha and kama to have all his earthly desires fulfilled.

The attachment to dharma is the best of all, if man can not  help being attached. Nobody was so much drawn to it as King Yudhishtra; His case therefore is a model for all. His clinging to dharma had no ulterior motive. He practised dharma for its own sake. And dharma in its turn protected him all through.

To the rajasika man, the practise of dharma is a safe and sure investment. He expects that the good he does is returned to him with compound interest both here and hereafter. He is firm in that belief. Therefore with pleasure he goes on doing a good turn wherever he can.

All the worldly attachments maybe brought under two broad headings - love of property and love of pleasure. With what firmness man holds on to money may be noticed all over the world. Renouncing food and sleep, comfort and rest, man toils day and night. Parting with kith and kin, he goes on to distant lands if there are prospects of adding to his wealth. If the hard earned fortune be lost somehow, it is worse than death to that person. 

The rajasika man's attachment to kama or pleasure is equally vehement. In fact all beings are in search of joy and pleasure.Clinging to life on this earth is all due to the enjoyment derived from it.  The resolute attempts made are all for the enjoyment of pleasure. The modes of obtaining those pleasures provided by nature may vary with beings; but the end is the same for all. It is no exaggeration to state that many a man stakes  life itself in his quest for enjoyment. The firmness with the rajasika man seeks property and pleasure is to be admired, because it is his way of making his life fulfilled.  In course of time he is bound to learn the lesson that this quest must be made towards the Imperishable Lord and not the perishable samsara.