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त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे।।18.3।।

tyājyaṁ doṣha-vad ity eke karma prāhur manīṣhiṇaḥ yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam iti chāpare

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 3
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as evil; while others declare that acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be relinquished.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: some wise ones say all action should be abandoned as evil, others say action such as sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned, naming a genuine disagreement among thoughtful people rather than pretending there's unanimous consensus.

In life: thoughtful, sincere people can genuinely disagree on a significant question, and it's more honest to name that real disagreement than to pretend there's one obvious correct answer everyone reasonable already agrees on.

Teaching: when you encounter a genuine disagreement among thoughtful people on an important question, resist the urge to prematurely resolve it into one obvious answer, sometimes naming the real disagreement honestly, the way this verse does, is more useful than false consensus.

tyājyamshould be given up
doṣha-vatas evil
itithus
ekesome
karmaactions
prāhuḥdeclare
manīṣhiṇaḥthe learned
yajñasacrifice
dānacharity
tapaḥpenance
karmaacts
nanever
tyājyamshould be abandoned
itithus
chaand
apareothers

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.3 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.