|| 18.3 ||

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे।।

tyājyaṁ doṣa-vad ity eke karma prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam iti cāpare

tyājyam (must be given up) doṣa-vat (as an evil) iti (thus) eke (some) karma (work) prāhuḥ (say) manīṣiṇaḥ (learned men) yajña (sacrifice) dāna (charity) tapaḥ (penance) karma (work) na (never) tyājyam (must be given up) iti (thus) ca (and) apare (others).

Some learned men declare that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up as faulty, yet other sages maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should never be abandoned.

Kṛṣṇa presents a fundamental debate among the wise. Some learned men say that all types of work should be given up because they inevitably contain some fault or ‘Doṣa’ (like an archer killing insects, or a fire creating smoke). Other sages, however, maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance should *never* be abandoned because they are necessary for purification. This is the dilemma of the seeker: “Should I stop doing everything to remain pure, or should I keep doing my duties?” The first group advocates for total inaction (Quietism), while the second group advocates for purified action. Arjuna is caught in the middle. He thinks fighting is a ‘Doṣa’ (sin) and wants to quit. Kṛṣṇa is about to settle this ancient argument once and for all. It teaches us that spiritual life is not always about ‘black and white’ rules. There are different perspectives on how to reach the goal. However, Kṛṣṇa will eventually show that the *intent* and the *nature* of the work are more important than the physical act. We should learn to navigate the complexities of life by looking for the path that leads to the greatest purification of the soul.