Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Verse 18.3
त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे।।18.3।।
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
Translation · English
Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as evil; while others declare that acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be relinquished.
Deep Meaning · English
This verse presents a pivotal debate among the wise concerning the nature of action and renunciation, setting the stage for Krishna’s final synthesis in the Bhagavad Gita. The first perspective mentioned argues that all karma carries the inherent flaw of bondage, suggesting that any action—even those considered virtuous—retains a residual attachment to the ego and the fruits of labor, thus advocating for total withdrawal. This viewpoint stems from a desire to escape the inherent suffering of material existence, viewing life’s duties as a source of agitation rather than purification. Contrasted with this is the school of thought which maintains that activities such as yajna (sacrifice), dana (charity), and tapas (penance) are essential to the soul's evolution and must never be abandoned. Krishna uses this tension to bridge the gap between asceticism and active spiritual life. He suggests that the 'flaw' the first group identifies is not in the action itself, but in the desire for the outcome. Therefore, rather than abandoning life's duties, the seeker is called to perform them as an offering, transforming mundane labor into a sacred act of worship that purifies the heart and prepares the mind for higher realization.
True renunciation is not the abandonment of action itself, but the abandonment of the ego-driven desire for the fruits of action.
Connected Verses
Provides Krishna's definitive conclusion that acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance must be performed without attachment.
Clarifies that both renunciation and work in devotion lead to the supreme goal, though work in devotion is the more accessible path.
Emphasizes that inaction is impossible and that performance of duty is superior to total withdrawal.
The foundational teaching that one has a right to duty but never to the fruit of that duty.
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