Bhagavad Gita 18.48
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् | सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ||१८-४८||
Transliteration
sahajaṃ karma kaunteya sadoṣamapi na tyajet . sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnirivāvṛtāḥ ||18-48||
One should not abandon, O Arjuna, the duty to which one is born, though faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, as fire by smoke.
Word by Word
सहजम् which is born, कर्म action, कौन्तेय O Kaunteya, सदोषम् with fault, अपि even, न not, त्यजेत् (one) should abandon, सर्वारम्भाः all undertakings, हि for, दोषेण by evil, धूमेन by smoke, अग्निः fire, इव like, आवृताः are enveloped
Classical Commentary
Sahajam Born with oneself born with the birth of man. Sadosham Faculty for everything is constituted of the three Gunas. All undertakings Ones own as well as others duties. If a Vaisya or a Kshatriya does the duties of a Brahmana he will not in any way be benefited. Anothers duty brings in fear. Therefore it is not proper to perform anothers duty. It is not possible for any man who has no knowledge of the Self to relinish action totally therefore he should not abandon action.