मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः | सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ||
mukta-saṅgo 'nahaṁ-vādī dhṛty-utsāha-samanvitaḥ siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvikaḥ ucyate
Translation
An agent who is free from attachment, free from ego-talk, endowed with fortitude and enthusiasm, and who is unaffected by success and failure — that one is called sattvic.
Interpretation
The sattvic agent: liberated from attachment (mukta-sanga), not claiming doership in speech and thought (anaham-vadi — not saying 'I did this, I am the one'), equipped with steadfast resolve (dhriti) and genuine enthusiasm (utsaha — eagerness that is not anxiety), and unmoved by success or failure. This combination is remarkable: steadiness without apathy (utsaha ensures engaged enthusiasm), and enthusiasm without ego (anaham-vadi ensures the enthusiasm serves the work, not the worker's reputation). Success and failure are received with equal equanimity because neither disturbs the inner identification with the Self.