सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः।।18.48।।
saha-jaṁ karma kaunteya sa-doṣham api na tyajet sarvārambhā hi doṣheṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛitāḥ
Word Meanings
saha-jam—born of one’s nature; karma—duty; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; sa-doṣham—with defects; api—even if; na tyajet—one should not abandon; sarva-ārambhāḥ—all endeavors; hi—indeed; doṣheṇa—with evil; dhūmena—with smoke; agniḥ—fire; iva—as; āvṛitāḥ—veiled
Translation
One should not relinquish one's work, O Arjuna, though it may be imperfect; for, all endeavors are enveloped by imperfections as fire is by smoke.
Purport / Commentary
18.48 सहजम् which is born? कर्म action? कौन्तेय O Kaunteya? सदोषम् with fault? अपि even? न not? त्यजेत् (one) should abandon? सर्वारम्भाः all undertakings? हि for? दोषेण by evil? धूमेन by smoke? अग्निः fire? इव like? आवृताः are enveloped.Commentary Sahajam Born with oneself born with the birth of man.Sadosham Faculty for everything is constituted of the three Gunas.All undertakings Ones own as well as others duties.If a Vaisya or a Kshatriya does the duties of a Brahmana he will not in any way be benefited. Anothers duty brings in fear. Therefore it is not proper to perform anothers duty. It is not possible for any man who has no knowledge of the Self to relinish action totally therefore he should not abandon action.