Verse 18.48

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.48:

सह-जं कर्म कौन्तेय स-दोषम् अपि न त्यजेत् ।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निर् इवावृताः ॥ ४८ ॥

saha-jaṃ karma kaunteya sa-doṣam api na tyajet |
sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ || 48 ||

saha-jam–born of one’s nature; karma–the prescribed work; kaunteya–O son of Kuntī; sa-doṣam–covered by fault; api–even though; na tyajet–one should not give up; sarva-ārambhāḥ–all endeavours; hi–because;doṣeṇa–by fault; dhūmena–by smoke; agniḥ–fire; iva–like; avṛtāḥ–covered.

O son of Kuntī, one should not abandon the work that scripture prescribes according to one’s nature, even if that work has some defect. All undertakings are covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

It is not proper to think that it is only one’s own duty that contains defect, as there is certainly some defect in the duty of another, also. To clarify this point, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with saha-jam. One should work in accordance with one’s nature, because all work (karma), be it manifest or unmanifest, is tinged with some defect, just as fire is covered by smoke. A person overlooks the defect of a fire’s smoke while utilizing its light and heat to dispel darkness and cold. In the same way, one must accept the positive aspect of one’s prescribed duty for the purification of one’s existence, and neglect the defective aspect.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Generally, duties that are pre-scribed according to one’s nature are called sva-dharma. By performing such duties a person can maintain his life very easily, and furthermore, he may gradually enter spiritual life. If a person accepts the prescribed duties of others, having observed some fault in his own, he may incur even more sin. If one gives up one’s kṣatriya-dharma, considering it to be violent, and accepts the duty of a brāhmaṇa, thinking it to be free from such faults, then there is the possibility of impropriety, for even the duties prescribed for a brahmanical nature are subject to the three modes. Since the instruments for performing brahmanical acts are material, there always remains some fault in acts performed with them. For example, while performing a fire yajña, there is always the possibility of killing living entities. For this reason, the example of fire is given here. Fire remains covered by smoke. This is a defect of fire. Still, fire is used to dispel cold, to cook and to serve other purposes. According to this same reasoning, it is beneficial to engage in one’s prescribed activities only. A person utilizes the fire he lights after removing a portion of the smoke. In the same way, one should overcome the defects of one’s prescribed duty by offering it to Bhagavān, and then, for the purpose of self-realization, one should accept that aspect of one’s prescribed duty that gives rise to jñāna.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as saying, “O son of Kuntī, even if the duties prescribed according to one’s nature are defective, they should by no means be relinquished. Every endeavour is covered by some defect. Just as fire is always covered by smoke, some defect covers and contaminates every action. A man should accept what is positive about his prescribed duty, which is decided according to his nature for the purpose of purifying his existence, and he should disregard the defective aspect.”