18. Renunciation and Surrender

Mokṣha Sanyās Yog

BG 18.5

One should perform acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance for the sake of purifying the soul.

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम्

  • yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma — acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance

    • yajña — sacrifice

    • dāna — charity

    • tapaḥ — penance

    • karma — actions

  • na — never

  • tyājyaṁ — should be abandoned

  • kāryam — performance

  • eva — indeed

  • tat — that

  • yajño — sacrifice

  • dānaṁ — charity

  • tapaśh — penance

  • chaiva — and indeed

    • cha — and

    • eva — indeed

  • pāvanāni — purifying

  • manīṣhiṇām — for the wise

...18.3

There are three kinds of abandonment, Arjuna.

[4]

One should perform acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance for the sake of purifying the soul.

[5]

But these actions should be performed with detachment and without thought of reward.

[6]

It is ignorant to renounce one's prescribed responsibilities.

[7]

One does not gain the fruit of renunciation by renouncing painful actions out of the fear of the body's suffering.

[8]

Pure renunciation is performing one's prescribed duties without any personal desire to act or the motivation of any reward.

[9]

A wise person of true renunciation does not avoid disagreeable work, nor seek out agreeable work.

[10]

Having a body makes it is impossible to completely give up action. The truly renounced are those who relinquish the fruit of their actions.

[11]

For those who cannot renounce all desire, there are three fruits of action - pleasant, unpleasant, or some combination of the two. For those who renounce the fruit of their actions, there are no such results in life or after death.

[12]

18.13...

Similar verses

Chapter 18, Verse 5