Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 48

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् ।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ॥

Transliteration

sahajaṃ karma kaunteya sadoṣamapi na tyajet .
sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnirivāvṛtāḥ ॥

Meaning

One should not abandon the work that is natural to one, O son of Kunti, even if it has defects; for all undertakings are enveloped by defects, as fire is by smoke.

Word meanings

सहजम् – inborn, natural
कर्म – work, duty
कौन्तेय – O son of Kunti
सदोषम् – with defects
अपि – even
न त्यजेत् – should not abandon
सर्वारम्भाः – all undertakings
हि – for
दोषेण – by defect
धूमेन – by smoke
अग्निः – fire
इव – as
आवृताः – are enveloped

Anvaya (word order)

कौन्तेय, सदोषम् अपि सहजं कर्म न त्यजेत्; हि सर्वारम्भाः धूमेन अग्निः इव दोषेण आवृताः ।

Explanation

This final verse of the svadharma passage states a deeply practical truth. Krishna says: sahajam karma sadosham api na tyajet — do not abandon the work natural to you, even if it has defects. Sahaja means 'born together with' — work that arises together with one's own nature. Arjuna saw the defects of violence and destruction in war and therefore wished to abandon it. Krishna tells him that giving up one's dharma because of its defects is no solution.

The reason is explained through a beautiful image: dhumenagnir ivavritah — as fire is covered by smoke, so all actions are covered by some defect. Wherever there is fire there will be some smoke. Yet no one gives up fire because of smoke, for fire cooks food and gives light and warmth. The wise try to reduce the smoke, not to put out the fire.

In the same way no action in the world is entirely free of fault. When a farmer ploughs, tiny creatures are harmed; when a merchant earns profit, there is competition; a teacher is sometimes stern; a doctor's medicine has side effects; even the brahmana's sacred work is not untouched by ego or error. If we abandoned every action because of its defects, nothing would remain worth doing. And if we took up another's work, we would find defects there too — so adopting another's dharma is no solution either.

The solution is to reduce the defects of action where possible, and to perform it without attachment, offering it to God. Then the defect of the action does not bind the doer. Smoke lessens when the fuel is dry; so too the defect of action lessens when the mind is free from the dampness of attachment.

Shankara says that anyone who is not a knower of the Self cannot wholly renounce action, so he should remain engaged in his natural work; renunciation of all action is possible only for the knower. Ramanuja points out that karma yoga, being natural, is easy and less prone to error, whereas the path of knowledge is difficult and liable to lapses; hence natural duty is the better means.

This verse also frees us from perfectionism. Many people never begin anything because they fear they will not do it perfectly, or that some mistake will occur. The Gita says: defect will be present in every action; do not abandon your duty out of fear of it.

Context

The previous verse stated the superiority of one's own dharma. This verse concludes the svadharma passage: natural duty is not to be abandoned even if it is defective. From the next verse (18.49) Krishna explains how, through an unattached intellect, one reaches the perfection of actionlessness and then attains Brahman.

Life lesson

No task is entirely free of fault — do not abandon your duty out of fear of imperfection. Work to reduce the smoke, not to extinguish the fire. Instead of waiting for perfection, begin with honesty and dedication.

Key terms

Sahaja karma: Work born with one's nature; natural duty
Sadosha: Having defects
Sarvarambha: All undertakings and enterprises
Smoke and fire: As smoke accompanies fire, so defect accompanies action