In this verse, Lord Krishna defines the mode of passion (Rajas) as the internal engine of worldly restlessness. It is described as 'rāga-ātmakam,' meaning passion is not merely an external action but the very essence of craving—a fundamental agitation of the mind. By tracing its origin to 'tṛiṣhṇā' (insatiable thirst) and 'saṅga' (attachment to outcomes), Krishna reveals how the Jiva becomes shackled. The tragedy of Rajas is that it masks the inherent tranquility of the Atman by convincing the individual that their happiness is contingent upon acquiring, doing, or achieving something outside of themselves. This cycle is circular and self-perpetuating: desire leads to action, action leads to further attachment, and that attachment creates new desires, anchoring the embodied soul firmly to the cycle of samsara. Krishna uses the address 'Kaunteya' to remind Arjuna that even a noble warrior with high aspirations can be tethered by the golden chains of ambition. The binding nature of Rajas lies in the loss of objectivity; one becomes so consumed by the 'becoming'—the constant movement of project and pursuit—that the 'being' remains obscured. To transcend this, one must recognize that this thirst is a projection of the mind rather than a requirement of the soul. Through the practice of selfless action, the seeker learns to separate the inherent energy of the self from the feverish grasping for fruits, eventually transforming Rajas from a binding force into a directed instrument of Dharma.

The mode of passion acts as a psychological trap where the soul, mistaking agitation for fulfillment, binds itself to the endless cycle of desiring and doing.