Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gita As It Is 18.8

duhkham ity eva yat karma

kaya-klesa-bhayat tyajet

sa krtva rajasam tyagam

naiva tyaga-phalam labhet

SYNONYMS

duhkham -- unhappy; iti -- thus; eva -- certainly; yat -- which; karma -- work; kaya -- for the body; klesa -- trouble; bhayat -- out of fear; tyajet -- gives up; sah -- he; krtva -- after doing; rajasam -- in the mode of passion; tyagam -- renunciation; na -- not; eva -- certainly; tyaga -- of renunciation; phalam -- the results; labhet -- gains.

TRANSLATION

Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced 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. If a person renounces work in that spirit, he never gets the result of renunciation.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness