1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 48

he entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 48

Sahajam karma kaunteya sadosham api na tyajet I

Sarva arambhah hi doshena dhumena agnih iva avrutah II sloka 48

सहजम् कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषं अपि न त्यजेत् I 
सर्व आरम्भः हि दोषेण धूमेन अग्निः इव अवृतः II श्लोक 48

One should not abandon, O Kaunteya, the duty to which one is born, though it is attended with evil; for all undertakings are enveloped by evil, as fire by smoke.

A truth reveals itself to him who desists from likes and dislikes and who enquires into karma with an equanimity of mind. There is no karma whatsoever in nature, which is completely from evil. We cannot breathe without hurting millions of microbes in the atmosphere. When we eat, we deprive another of food or life. An ascetic suspends all bodily activities and practises austerity in a mountain cave. His body fostered by others vegetate thereby, without being useful in its turn. There is no karma completely free from evil. Why should then there be distinctions between vice and virtue? The great ones have advocated virtue and denounced vice. Which among the acts of man, is to be accepted as virtue and rejected as vice? Among the fuels that which smokes too much is bad and that which smokes less is good. Among the karmas that which is attendant with more evil than good is vice; and vice versa. It is in accordance with the place, time and circumstance, that a karma becomes good or bad. The knowing ones ought to discern and do the good karma only.

But the yogi has his own criterion. He discharges his duty as an act of worship of the Lord. A pilgrim halts at the wayside rest house, cooks his foor there with the fuel available and proceeds further. He does not delay on the way for want of good fuel. The attitude of the yogi is very much like this. He performs for the sake of the Lord, that karma to which his body is found fit. And he acts with the sole motive of attaining moksham. The yogi hence discharges his duty or svadharma as an act of adoration of the Lord.

He explains in the next few slokas, how his act becomes adoration