Bhagavad Gita 18.5यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्।यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

• 18.1Arjuna said, "O mighty-armed Hrishikesa, I desire to know the essence or truth of…
• 18.2The Blessed Lord said, "The sages understand sannyasa to be the renunciation of action…
• 18.3Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as evil; while others declare…
• 18.4Hear from Me the conclusion or the final truth about this abandonment, O best of the…

• 18.5Acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed;…

• 18.6But even these actions should be performed, leaving aside attachment and the desire for…
• 18.7Verily, the renunciation of obligatory action is not proper; the abandonment of the same…
• 18.8He who abandons action out of fear of bodily trouble (because it is painful), does not…
• 18.9Whatever obligatory action is done, O Arjuna, merely because it ought to be done,…
• 18.10The man of renunciation, pervaded by purity, intelligent, and with his doubts cut asunder,…
• 18.11Indeed, it is not possible for an embodied being to completely abandon actions; however,…
• 18.12The threefold fruit of action (evil, good, and mixed) accrues after death to those who do…

na

never

cha

and

eva

indeed

tat

that

dāna

charity

karma

actions

dānam

charity

yajña

sacrifice

tapaḥ

penance

tyājyam

should be abandoned

yajñaḥ

sacrifice

pāvanāni

purifying

kāryam eva

must certainly be performed

manīṣhiṇām

for the wise