Chapter 18 · Verse 3

Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे

tyājyaṁ doṣha-vad ity eke karma prāhur manīṣhiṇaḥ yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam iti chāpare

Word Meanings

tyājyam — should be given up; doṣha-vat — as evil; iti — thus; eke — some; karma — actions; prāhuḥ — declare; manīṣhiṇaḥ — the learned; yajña — sacrifice; dāna — charity; tapaḥ — penance; karma — acts; na — never; tyājyam — should be abandoned; iti — thus; cha — and; apare — others

Language:

Translation

Some learned persons declare that all action, being tainted with evil, should be abandoned; while others maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be given up.

Commentary

त्याज्यम् should be abandoned? दोषवत् (full of) as an evil? इति thus? एके some? कर्म action? प्राहुः declare? मनीषिणः philosophers? यज्ञदानतपःकर्म acts of sacrifice? gift and austerity? न not? त्याज्यम् should be relinished? इति thus? च and? अपरे others.Commentary Some philosophers who follow the doctrine of the Sankhyas declare that all actions,should be abandoned as evil? even by those who are fit for Karma Yoga.Doshavat As an evil All Karmas should be abandoned as involving evil because they cause bondage or that they should be relinished like passion and other such evil tendencies.Others declare that the acts of sacrifice? gifts and austerities should not be given up by those who are fit for Karma Yoga. These are the opinions of some? who are of great understanding.Now listen to Me. I will settle this matter and will tell thee how renunciation should be practised.The subject of the discourse here is about the Karma Yogins only and not about those persons who have gone beyond the path of Karma. It is with reference to the Karma Yogins that these conflicting opinions are held and not with reference to the Jnana Yogins or the Sannyasins who have risen above all worldly concerns.