यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यम् एव तत् । यज्ञो दानं तपश् चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryam eva tat | yajño dānaṃ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām ||
Yajña, dāna, and tapas must NOT be abandoned — they must be performed; they are purifiers of the wise.
Word by word (3)
- yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryam eva tat
- — the action (karma) of yajña, dāna, and tapas should NOT be abandoned (na tyājyam); on the contrary it MUST be performed (kāryam eva = it must certainly be done) — the strong categorical affirmation: not only 'don't abandon it' but 'it must be done'
- yajño dānaṃ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām
- — yajña, dāna, and tapas are indeed (ca eva) purifiers (pāvanāni = purifying/cleansing) of the wise (manīṣiṇām = of the wise/thoughtful ones) — the reason: these three purify the practitioner's consciousness
- pāvanāni
- — purifying/cleansing things (from pāvana = purifier, from root pū = to purify); yajña-dāna-tapas are not just obligations but active consciousness-purifiers — they cleanse the practitioner of rāga-dveṣa, selfishness, and inertia
The actions of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be abandoned — they must indeed be performed. Sacrifice, gift, and austerity are purifying to the wise.
A modern analogy
V5 is the Gita's firm answer to those who say 'abandon everything for liberation.' Even the sannyāsin, even the mokṣa-seeker, must continue yajña-dāna-tapas — because these practices purify the mind that is seeking liberation. Abandoning them would be like stopping medication mid-treatment because you think you've already healed.
V5 gives Krishna's direct answer to the first view in V3 (those who say 'all karma is faulty, abandon it'): NO — yajña-dāna-tapas must not be abandoned. They are kāryam eva (they MUST be performed) because they are pāvanāni (purifiers). This establishes the Gita's primary position: the question is not whether to act (tyāga ≠ inaction) but how to act (with what motivation and attitude toward the fruit). V6 will add the crucial qualification: even these must be performed with tyāga of attachment and fruit.
Pāvanāni (purifiers) is theologically precise: yajña-dāna-tapas are not self-justifying formalism — they have a specific function (purification of the citta). Shankaracharya comments that even the jñānī continues these practices because they maintain the inner purity needed for sustained non-dual recognition. The Upaniṣadic Mahāvākyas cannot be realized by a mind clouded by rāga-dveṣa; yajña-dāna-tapas systematically reduce that cloudiness. This is why V5 says even the manīṣin (wise person) benefits from these purifiers.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Practice of worship, gift, and austerity should not be given up; it is quite necessary; worship, gift and austerity are the purifiers of the wise. [1]
The work of Yajna, gift, and austerity should not be relinquished, but it should indeed be performed; Yajna, gift, and austerity are purifying to the wise. [4]
The actions of sacrifice, gift, and penance should not be abandoned; they should be performed; sacrifice, gift, and penance are purifying to wise men. [9]
The works of sacrifice, gifts, and penance should not be abandoned. They should, indeed, be done. Sacrifice, gift, and penance, are the purifications of the wise. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Sannyāsa = abandoning desire-motivated action; tyāga = abandoning fruits of ALL action — say the learned.
The sāttvic tyāgī: neither hates difficult action nor clings to pleasant — sattva-pervaded, wise, doubts severed.
Unable even to act for My sake? Then take refuge in Me, abandon all fruits of action — with self-restraint.
Even yajña-dāna-tapas must be performed having abandoned attachment and fruits — my settled, highest opinion.
No embodied being can abandon ALL action; the true tyāgī is the karma-phala-tyāgī — the fruit-abandoner.
Some say all karma is faulty and should be abandoned; others say yajña-dāna-tapas must not be abandoned.