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न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः।यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते।।18.11।।

na hi deha-bhṛitā śhakyaṁ tyaktuṁ karmāṇy aśheṣhataḥ yas tu karma-phala-tyāgī sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 11
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
Indeed, it is not possible for an embodied being to completely abandon actions; however, he who relinquishes the rewards of actions is truly called a man of renunciation.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: indeed, it is not possible for an embodied being to abandon action entirely, but one who abandons the fruit of action is said to be a true relinquisher, again reinforcing that total inaction was never actually the point of this teaching, releasing attachment to outcome was.

In life: this reinforces something the text keeps returning to across many chapters, the goal was never to stop doing things, it was always to change your relationship to how those things turn out.

Teaching: if you've been quietly hoping that enough spiritual progress would eventually let you stop having to do difficult things altogether, recalibrate that expectation, this verse plainly states that's never actually the goal, releasing attachment to outcomes is.

nanot
hiindeed
deha-bhṛitāfor the embodied being
śhakyampossible
tyaktumto give up
karmāṇiactivities
aśheṣhataḥentirely
yaḥwho
tubut
karma-phalafruits of actions
tyāgīone who renounces all desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
saḥthey
tyāgīone who renounces all desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
itias
abhidhīyateare said

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.11 न not? हि verily? देहभृता by an embodied being? शक्यम् possible? त्यक्तुम् to abandon? कर्माणि actions? अशेषतः entirely? यः who? तु but? कर्मफलत्यागी relinisher of the fruits of actions? सः he? त्यागी relinisher? इति thus? अभिधीयते is called.Commentary He who has assumed a human body and yet grumbles at having to perform actions is verily a fool. Can fire that is endowed with heat as its natural property ever think of getting rid of it So long as you are living in this body you cannot entirely relinish action. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna Nor can anyone? even for an instant remain actionless for helplessly is everyone driven to action by the alities born of Nature (Cf.III.5). Nature (and your own nature? too) will urge you to do actions. You will have to abandon the idea of agency and the fruits of actions. Then you are ite safe. No action will bind you.The ignorant man who identifies himself with the body and who thinks that he is himself the doer of all actions should not abandon actions. It is impossible for him to relinish actions. He will have to perform all the prescribed duties while relinishing their fruits.Dehabhrita A wearer of the body An embodied being? i.e.? he who identifies himself with the body. A man who has discrimination between the Real and the unreal? the Eternal and the transient? cannot be called a bodywearer? because he does not think that he is the doer of actions -- vide chapter II.21 (He who knows Him Who is indestructible? eternal? unborn? undiminishing -- how can that man slay? O Arjuna? or cause to be slain).When the ignorant man who is alified for action does the prescribed duties? relinishing the desire for the fruits of his actions? he is called a Tyagi? although he is active. This title Tyagi is given to him for the sake of courtesy.The relinishment of all actions is possible only for him who has attained Selfrealisation and who is? therefore? not a wearer of the body? i.e.? does not hink that the body is the Self. (Cf.III.5)