Verse 18.3
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः | यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे ||३||
Transliteration (IAST)
tyājyaṁ doṣavad ity eke karma prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ | yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam iti cāpare ||3||
Word-by-Word Meanings
tyājyam-should be given up
doṣavat-as faulty/evil
eke-some
karma-action
manīṣiṇaḥ-thinkers/wise men
yajña-sacrifice
dāna-charity
tapaḥ-austerity
Translation
Some wise men declare that all action should be given up as evil, while others say that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned.
Commentary
Krishna presents two philosophical positions prevalent in his time. Shankaracharya identifies the first view with certain schools that consider all action as binding. The second view represents the Vedic tradition that upholds sacred duties. Krishna will resolve this debate in the following verses by endorsing the second position with the qualification of non-attachment.
Themes
karmadharma