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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18.6

etāny api tu karmāṇi

sańgaḿ tyaktvā phalāni ca

kartavyānīti me pārtha

niścitaḿ matam uttamam

Translation

All these activities should be performed without attachment or any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Pritha. That is My final opinion.

Author Name:-Sri Ramanuja

Purport

Sri Ramanuja

18.6 Since sacrifices, gifts, austerities etc., are the means for the purification of the wise, therefore, it is My decided and final view that they should be performed as a part of my worship until one’s death, renouncing attachment, viz., possessiveness towards actions and their fruits.

Author Name:-Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Purport

Sri Adi Shankaracharya

18.6 Tu, but; api, even; etani, these; karmani, actions, viz sacrifice, charity and austerity, which have been spoken of as purifiers; kartavyani, have to be undertaken; tyaktva, by renouncing; sangam, attachment to them; and by giving up (hankering for) their phalani, results. Iti, this; is me, My; niscitam, firm; and uttamam, best; matam, conculsion. Having promised, ‘hear from Me the firm conclusion regarding that (tyaga)’ (4) and also adduced the reason that they are purifiers, the utterance, ‘Even these actions have to be performed. This is the firm and best conclusion’, is only by way of concluding the promised subject-matter; this sentence does not introduce a fresh topic. For it stands to reason that the phrase ‘even these’ refers to some immediate topic under discussion. The implication of the word api (even) is: ‘Even these acts, which are causes of bondage to one who has attachment and who hankers after their results, have to be undertaken by a seeker of Liberation.’ But the phrase ‘even these’ is not used in relation to other acts. Others explain (thus): Since the nityakarmas have no results, therefore (in their case) it is illogical to say, ‘by giving up attachment and (hankering for their) results’. The meaning of the phrase etani api (even these) is that, ‘even these rites and duties, which are undertaken for desired results and are different from the nityakarmas, have to be undertaken. What to speak of the nityakarmas like sacrifice, charity and austerity!’ (Reply:) This is wrong since it has been established by the text, ‘sacrifice, charity and austerity are verily the purifiers,’ that even the nityakarmas have results. For a seeker of Liberation who wants to give up even the nityakarmas from fear of their being causes of bondage, how can there be any association with actions done for desired results? Moreover, the phrase etani api cannot apply to actions done for desired results (kamyakarmas), since they have been denigrated in, ‘…indeed, actions is quite inferior’ (2.49), and in, ‘…by actions other than that action meant for God’ (3.9), and since, on the strength of the texts [Which support the two earlier arguments.], ‘the Vedas have the three qualities as their object’ (2.45), ‘Those who are versed in the Vedas, who are drinkers of Soma,…(pray for the heavenly goal by worshipping) Me’ (9.20), and ‘they enter into the human world on the exhaustion of their merit’ (9.21), it has been definitely stated that actions done for desired results are causes of bondage; and also because they are far removed from the context.

Author Name:-Sri Madhvacharya

Purport

Sri Madhvacharya

The different classes of prescribed Vedic activities are delineated. The types of yagna or ritualistic propitiation and worship, tapah or austerities and danam or charity have been classified in the previous chapter according to the three gunas or modes of material nature. Yet here Lord Krishna emphasises that all these activities should be forthrightly performed and never given up because such activities are sanctifying and purifying. Only the desire for rewards for such activities should be abandoned and not the activity itself. If this were not true then there would be contradiction with the hallowed revelations of Vedavyasa who stated that: An aspirant whether a married householder, a forest dweller or mountain recluse who is striving for moksa or liberation from material existence must perform prescribed Vedic activities for their own best welfare and interests. Yagna is the form of acquired wisdom, tapah is the form of acquired faith and danam is the form of acquired fearlessness. So they all should be always performed. The purport is that no one can permanently avoid activity it is not possible, but everyone can give up the desire for rewards from activities and that is actual renunciation.

Now begins the summary.

One should sincerely offer charity to the Vaisnavas and Brahmins according to one’s capacity. One should sincerely instruct spiritual knowledge to supplicants to the best of one’s ability and one should perform personal austerities according to one’s varnasrama or class and stage in life. A grihasta or householder of the vaisya or mercantile class has a different parameter for austerities then a brahmacari or celibate student of Vaisnava brahmanas or ordained spiritual order and their activities are very different. A ksatriya from the royal or warrior class may perform exceedingly extreme austerities such as fasting in desert heat or meditating in intense cold that would not appeal to a grihasta or brahmacari. Even a lowly sudra of the worker class may advance by doing some penance such as fasting and by speaking truthfully and serving the other three orders faithfully. Although one is born in various situations in life the true quality of a jiva or embodied being is inherent within and this is what determines one’s actual character in life. This theme will be examined more by Madhvacarya’s comments on verses 47 and 48.

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Slogam 6

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18.6

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