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Chapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation · 78 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 18.8

Duty, renunciation and giving up the fruits

दु:खमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्ल‍ेशभयात्त्यजेत् ।

स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ॥ ८ ॥

duḥkham ity eva yat karma

kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet

sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ

naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet

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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

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

Do Not Quit from Fear

  1. 1Giving up prescribed duties because they seem troublesome or cause bodily discomfort is renunciation in passion. It never brings the true result of renunciation.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that one should not stop earning money that can serve Kṛṣṇa consciousness out of fear of fruitive activity.
  3. 3Do not avoid rising early to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness just because it feels troublesome.

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.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 18.8 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.

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The story behind it

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

All stories for chapter 18 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

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

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