Verse 18.8
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् | स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ||८||
Transliteration (IAST)
duḥkham ity eva yat karma kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet | sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet ||8||
Word-by-Word Meanings
duḥkham-painful/troublesome
karma-action
kāya-kleśa-bodily trouble
bhayāt-out of fear
tyajet-gives up
rājasam-in the mode of passion
tyāga-phalam-the fruit of relinquishment
labhet-obtains
Translation
One who gives up action because it is troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort performs rajasic relinquishment and does not obtain the fruit of true renunciation.
Commentary
Rajasic tyaga is motivated by the desire to avoid difficulty or pain. Shankaracharya explains that abandoning duties because they require effort or cause physical hardship yields no spiritual benefit. Ramanuja notes that such a person remains bound because the motivation is selfish comfort rather than spiritual growth.
Themes
karmamoksha