Chapter 18 Shloka 48

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।

सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः।।४८।।

One should not relinquish one’s natural duty 

even if it seems full of faults;

for all deeds are veiled with blemish

like fire is covered by smoke.

Chapter 18 Shloka 48

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।

सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः।।४८।।

My little one, now the Lord Himself says:

One should not relinquish one’s natural duty even if it seems full of faults; for all deeds are veiled with blemish like fire is covered by smoke.

Little one, even if one consider the natural deeds of one’s life to be flawed, one must not renounce them.

1. Every action can be faulted from some point of view or the other.

2. Actions could cause sorrow.

3. The consequences of some deeds could be quite painful.

4. One’s actions could be a source of pain to another.

5. One could perceive the blemish of attachment in actions.

6. One could also see the negativity of the ego in various actions.

7. Actions may be the source of the proliferation of negative attributes. Thus, all actions are veiled by smoke – however, a fiery brilliance may lie latent behind that smoke.

The birth of an individual is Brahm’s deed

1. The birth of actions takes place prior to the birth of an individual.

2. The individual’s birth is Brahm’s own deed.

3. Indeed, the creation of this entire universe is Brahm’s deed.

4. Each action is comprised of three attributes.

5. Every operation, every task is composed of these three attributes – this is the latent law of Brahm’s Supreme deed.

The essence of Brahm lies hidden in all His creation as fire lies latent in the fog of smoke.

1. The temperament of That Supreme One is also latent in His deed.

2. The dharma of the Supreme also lies latent in His actions.

3. The yagya of the Supreme lies concealed in His every deed.

The Lord specifies here:

1. All actions are veiled by the threefold attributes of maya – the illusory facet of Prakriti.

2. All beings are in fact cloaked by this threefold maya.

3. No being can survive without engaging in actions.

The body-self is bound to perform deeds – that is the natural temperament of the body. How can you prevent yourself from engaging in action? The Lord has clarified that He too, performs His duty. Whenever He takes birth, He engages in action spontaneously. Therefore one must not even consider the renunciation of actions even if one believes them to be faulty. Even if one renounces one’s duty, one must necessarily perform some deeds.

Karma and Akarma – Action and inaction

(For an elaboration on Karma and Akarma refer to Chp.4, shloka 18)

The Lord has clarified earlier:

1. He who perceives inaction in action, perceives the truth.

2. He who perceives action in inaction, perceives the truth.

3. All that one perceives is the interaction of qualities.

4. Those actions are performed by Prakriti.

5. Those actions are a consequence of one’s basic temperament.

6. Which action out of all these has been performed by one? Which action is one responsible for?

–  Attachment to deeds or aversion to deeds is one’s actual action.

–  Even though one cannot perceive attachment and aversion to be the ‘doers’ of actions, yet they are capable of the most complex tasks.

It is these:

a) which set in motion the cycle of birth and death;

b) which are the subtle breath of the gross body;

c) which form the seeds that sprout into new lives;

d) which are the cause of high or low births;

e) which make actions sinful or meritorious.

Understand this carefully my little one, it is attachment and ignorance that are the smoke that veils actions. What is required is not the renunciation of deeds but the annihilation of attachment and ignorance.

Little one,

1. As long as the idea of doership remains, all actions are tainted and defective.

2. As long as the idea of enjoyership remains, all actions are blemished.

3. As long as the ego remains, all actions are faulty.

An individual considers certain actions to be inferior and certain others to be superior. Those actions that are necessary for life can never be inferior. They have to be performed by somebody or the other. Therefore it is foolish to look down on the people who perform those tasks for you, that you cannot do without, but do not perform yourself.

Little one, sadhana or spiritual practice, too, is an action and until the aspirant reaches perfection in the goal he aspires for, his sadhana continues under the influence of the three attributes of Prakriti. Since the aspirant’s act of sadhana is full of the pride of doership, it is cloaked in the smoke of ignorance.

Perceive your attitude towards sadhana carefully and notice the three attributes which inhere therein:

1. If your spiritual practice teaches you to escape from your duty, it is verily tamsic in nature.

2. If your spiritual practice binds you to the fruit thereof, it is rajsic in nature.

3. If your spiritual practice binds you to joy and to knowledge, it is sattvic in nature.

4. If your spiritual practice frees you of attachment, it can grant you the Supreme state.

Then you will neither renounce your duties nor seek the fruits of your actions, nor wish for happiness. You will merely renounce the body idea completely.