Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 8

दु:खमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्यजेत् |
स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् || 8||

duḥkham ity eva yat karma kāya-kleśha-bhayāt tyajet
sa kṛitvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet

duḥkham—troublesome; iti—as; eva—indeed; yat—which; karma—duties; kāya—bodily; kleśha—discomfort; bhayāt—out of fear; tyajet—giving up; saḥ—they; kṛitvā—having done; rājasam—in the mode of passion; tyāgam—renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions; na—never; eva—certainly; tyāga—renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions; phalam—result; labhet—attain

Translation:

He who abandons obligatory duties from fear of bodily discomfort, as painful (to the body), thus does Tamasic renunciation and obtains not the fruit of renunciation.

Commentary:

If the Tamasic Tyagi abandons action by ignorance, the Rajasic tyagi does so from fear of bodily discomfort. He is lazy and the dullness of the body overpowers him, preventing him from doing the practices. It is true that action which is ultimately beneficial is at first difficult to follow. So, the man of weak will-power neglects it from sheer fear of bodily pain. He renounces them as useless or beyond his power to practice. To get up at the auspicious time of Brahmamuhurta (4 A.M.), taking a good bath in cold water in the river or from a well, practising the vow of celibacy, and such other methods may appear difficult in the beginning, but in the long run, they yield the highest reward of joy and happiness, health and strength. The Rajasic Tyagi is foregoing a great good for a slight cause. Such is the power of the flesh over the spirit. We find that every great man in any field has mastered the body and made it a simple instrument for useful work. To abandon obligatory duties on account of bodily pain is nothing short of sacrificing the spirit for the sake of the body. 

The Teacher of the Gita declares that the Rajasic Tyagi does not obtain the merit of renunciation by such abandonment of action. 

Question: What is the nature of Rajasic Tyaga?

Answer: Abandoning obligatory duties because they are painful to the body is Rajasic Tyaga.

Question: Does the Rajasic Tyagi get the merit of renunciation?

Answer: No. He does not obtain the merit of renunciation, because it is not renunciation in the true spirit.  

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18 🔻 (78 Verses)

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