Chapter 18 · Verse 7

Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender

नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते।मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः

niyatasya tu sannyāsaḥ karmaṇo nopapadyate mohāt tasya parityāgas tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

Word Meanings

niyatasya tu sanyāsaḥ karmaṇaḥ na upapadyate mohāt tasya parityāgaḥ tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

Translation

Renunciation of obligatory action is not justified; abandoning it out of delusion is declared to be tamasic.

Commentary

नियतस्य obligatory? तु verily? संन्यासः renunciation? कर्मणः of action? न not? उपपद्यते is proper? मोहात् from delusion? तस्य of the same? परित्यागः abandonment? तामसः Tamasic? परिकीर्तितः is declared.Commentary Renunciation of obligatory action is not proper because it is purifying in the case of an ignorant man. Should a man renounce actions that he should perform as a duty? such renunciation can only be of the ality of darkness. Prescribed duties must not be abandoned and if anyone does so? he is certainly deluded by ignorance. Tamas is ignorance.Niyata Prescribed according to ones religion. To hold that a duty is obligatory and then to relinish it is indeed selfcontradictory.