Chapter 18: Conclusion-The Perfection of Renunciation
Bg 18.8
TEXT 8
duhkham ity eva yat karma
kaya-klesa-bhayat tyajet
sa krtva rajasam tyagam
naiva tyaga-phalam labhet
kaya-klesa-bhayat tyajet
sa krtva rajasam tyagam
naiva tyaga-phalam labhet
SYNONYMS
duhkham—unhappy; iti—thus; eva—certainly; yat—that which; karma—work; kaya—body; klesa—troublesome; bhayat—out of; tyajet—fear; sah—that; krtva—after doing; rajasam—in the mode of passion; tyagam—renunciation; na eva—certainly not; tyaga—renounced; phalam—results; labhet—gain.
TRANSLATION
Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome, or out of fear, is said to be in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation.
PURPORT
One who is in Krsna consciousness should not give up earning money out of fear that he is performing fruitive activities. If by working one can engage his money in Krsna consciousness, or if by rising early in the morning one can advance his transcendental Krsna consciousness, one should not desist out of fear or because such activities are considered troublesome. Such renunciation is in the mode of passion. The result of passionate work is always miserable. Even if a person renounces work in that spirit, he never gets the result of renunciation.
Join the Bhagavad-Gita Connect Newsletter
Copyright (c) 1972 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada