BHAGAVAD-GITA 18:5

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 18:5

 

yajna-dana-tapah-karma

na tyajyam karyam eva tat

yajno danam tapas caiva

pavanani manisinam

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

yajna--of sacrifice; dana--charity; tapah--and penance;

karma--activity; na--never; tyajyam--to be given up; karyam--must be

done; eva--certainly; tat--that; yajnah--sacrifice; danam--charity;

tapah--penance; ca--also; eva--certainly; pavanani--purifying;

manisinam--even for the great souls.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up; they

must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even

the great souls.

 

PURPORT

 

The yogis should perform acts for the advancement of human society.

There are many purificatory processes for advancing a human being to

spiritual life. The marriage ceremony, for example, is considered to

be one of these sacrifices. It is called vivaha-yajna. Should a

sannyasi, who is in the renounced order of life and who has given up

his family relations, encourage the marriage ceremony? The Lord says

here that any sacrifice which is meant for human welfare should never

be given up. Vivaha-yajna, the marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate

the human mind so that it may become peaceful for spiritual

advancement. For most men, this vivaha-yajna should be encouraged even

by persons in the renounced order of life. Sannyasis should never

associate with women, but that does not mean that one who is in the

lower stages of life, a young man, should not accept a wife in the

marriage ceremony. All prescribed sacrifices are meant for achieving

the Supreme Lord. Therefore, in the lower stages, they should not be

given up. Similarly, charity is for the purification of the heart. If

charity is given to suitable persons, as described previously, it

leads one to advanced spiritual life.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.