BG 18.2

English Commentary By Swami Sivananda18.2 काम्यानाम् (of) desireful? कर्मणाम् of actions? न्यासम् the renunciation? संन्यासम् Sannyasa? कवयः the sages? विदुः understand? सर्वकर्मफलत्यागम् the abandonment of the fruits of all works? प्राहुः declare? त्यागम् abandonment? विचक्षणाः the wise.Commentary Kamya Karmani Activities such as the Asvamedha (a special sacrifice)? etc.? which are performed for the attainment of specific selfish ends. The wise men declare that Tyaga means abandonment of the fruits of all the Nitya and Naimittika works (ordinary and extraordinary or occasional duties).The rootmeaning of the words Sannyasa and Tyaga is to give up. In popular usage Sannyasa and Tyaga are more or less synonymous. Both mean renunciation. The two words do not mean two altogether distinct ideas as stone and fruit? or pot and cloth. They convey the same general idea with a slight distinction.An objector asks It is said that the Nitya and Naimittika actions cannot produce any fruits. Why then is the relinishment of their fruits mentioned here It is like asking for the relinishment of the barren womans sonWe say The objection is not correct. In the opinion of the Lord? ordinary and occasional duties cause their own fruits (vide XVIII.12). Sannyasins alone who have renounced the desire for the fruits of actions will not get the fruits? but other persons will have to reap the fruits of the ordinary and occasional actions.If one renounces all actions after the attainment of Selfrealisation and enters into the fourth order of life (Sannyasa) it is called VidvatSannyasa. If one renounces all actions and enters into the order of Sannyasa for the sake of doing VedantaVichara (or reflection on the truths of the Vedantaphilosophy and on the true significance of the great sentences of the Upanishads which reveal the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Being) and for thus attaining Selfrealisation? it is called VividishaSannyasa.

— vedicscriptures · exposition · source ↗

The performance of activities for results has to be given up. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā . But activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not to be given up. This will be made clear in the next verses. In the Vedic literature there are many prescriptions of methods for performing sacrifice for some particular purpose. There are certain sacrifices to perform to attain a good son or to attain elevation to the higher planets, but sacrifices prompted by desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the purification of one’s heart or for advancement in the spiritual science should not be given up.

— vedicscriptures · exposition · source ↗