Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 578

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-18 Mokṣa Sannyāsa Yogaḥ

sahajaṃ karma kaunteya sadoṣam api na tyajet | sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ || 48 || 48. One should not relinquish one's natural vocational skills [Karma] O Arjuna, though they may be imperfect; for, all undertakings are enveloped by imperfection like fire by smoke. Commentary The meaning is that even though one may be capable of practicing Jñāna Yoga, one should rather perform Karma Yoga only. All undertakings, whether of Karma or Jñāna, are indeed accompanied by a certain degree of imperfection, that is, involve painful effort, as fire is attended by smoke. But still there is this difference:— Karma Yoga is easy and free from the liability to misadventure, but Jñāna Yoga is the exact opposite to this.