18.3
Chapter 18, Verse 3
त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे৷৷
tyājyaṅ dōṣavadityēkē karma prāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ. yajñadānatapaḥkarma na tyājyamiti cāparē৷৷
Translation
Some philosophers say that all action is evil and should be abandoned. Others that acts of sacrifice, benevolence and austerity should not be given up.
Translation — Purohit Swami
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.
Commentary — Swami Sivananda
Sanskrit and transliteration of the Bhagavad Gita. Corpus compiled from the vedabase and the IIT Kanpur Gita Supersite.