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Chapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation · 78 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation
18.618.8

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 18.7

Duty, renunciation and giving up the fruits

नियतस्य तु सन्न्यास: कर्मणो नोपपद्यते ।

मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामस: परिकीर्तित: ॥ ७ ॥

niyatasya tu sannyāsaḥ

karmaṇo nopapadyate

mohāt tasya parityāgas

tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

Translation

Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties because of illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Do Not Abandon Prescribed Duties

  1. 1Giving up prescribed duties because of illusion is renunciation in the mode of ignorance.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that work for material satisfaction should stop, but activities that advance Kṛṣṇa consciousness should continue.
  3. 3Cook for the Supreme Lord, offer the food to Him, and then accept it, rather than cooking only for yourself.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 18, The Perfection of Renunciation: duty, renunciation and giving up the fruits.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 18.7 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 18 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 18.2Duty, renunciation and giving up the fruitsBG 18.3Duty, renunciation and giving up the fruitsBG 2.47Responsibility without ownership of outcomesBG 3.21Leadership by example

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 18.7 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.