B.G 18.05
यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्। यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥५॥
yajñadānatapaḥkarma na tyājyaṃ kāryameva tat। yajño dānaṃ tapaścaiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām ॥5॥
[यज्ञ (yajña) - sacrifice; दान (dāna) - charity; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; कर्म (karma) - action; न (na) - not; त्याज्यम् (tyājyam) - to be abandoned; कार्य (kārya) - should be done; एव (eva) - indeed; तत् (tat) - that; यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - sacrifice; दानम् (dānam) - charity; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; पावनानि (pāvanāni) - purifiers; मनीषिणाम् (manīṣiṇām) - of the wise;]
Sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned; they must indeed be performed. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity are purifiers of the wise.
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च। कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ॥६॥
etānyapi tu karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalāni ca। kartavyānīti me pārtha niścitaṃ matamuttamam ॥6॥
[एतानि (etāni) - these; अपि (api) - also; तु (tu) - but; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; सङ्गं (saṅgam) - attachment; त्यक्त्वा (tyaktvā) - abandoning; फलानि (phalāni) - fruits; च (ca) - and; कर्तव्यानि (kartavyāni) - duties; इति (iti) - thus; मे (me) - my; पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pritha; निश्चितं (niścitam) - certain; मतम् (matam) - opinion; उत्तमम् (uttamam) - highly regarded;]
O Arjuna, these actions also should be performed without attachment or desire for results, as duties; this is my firm and highly regarded opinion.
Gīta Bhāshya 18.06
Sacrifice, charity and austerity are of various types, including giving knowledge, offering protection etc. as elaborated in 4.28. Chanting name of the Lord can be done by all. Hence, these duties must be performed by all classes of society, and is not restricted to a few, as interpreted by other Āchāryas.
Note: The below argument is presented to oppose the view of other Acharyas, who have argued sacrifices, charity and austerity are meant for only specific classes of people.
यज्ञभेदः उक्तः 'द्रव्ययज्ञाः' इत्यादिना। दाने त्वभयदानं अन्तर्भवति। एतेषां मध्ये यत्किञ्चित् यज्ञादिकं कर्तव्यमेव इत्यर्थः। अन्यथा -
yajñabhedaḥ uktaḥ 'dravyayajñāḥ' ityādinā। dāne tvabhayadānaṃ antarbhavati। eteṣāṃ madhye yatkiñcit yajñādikaṃ kartavyameva ityarthaḥ। anyathā -
[यज्ञभेदः (yajñabhedaḥ) - types of sacrifices; उक्तः (uktaḥ) - said; 'द्रव्ययज्ञाः' ('dravyayajñāḥ') - 'material sacrifices'; इत्यादिना (ityādinā) - and so on; दाने (dāne) - in charity; तु (tu) - but; अभयदानं (abhayadānaṃ) - gift of fearlessness; अन्तर्भवति (antarbhavati) - is included; एतेषां (eteṣāṃ) - among these; मध्ये (madhye) - in the middle; यत्किञ्चित् (yatkiñcit) - whatever; यज्ञादिकं (yajñādikaṃ) - sacrifices and the like; कर्तव्यमेव (kartavyameva) - must be done; इत्यर्थः (ityarthaḥ) - this is the meaning; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise;]
(The types of sacrifices are said as 'material sacrifices' and so on. In charity, however, the gift of fearlessness is included. Among these, whatever sacrifices and the like must indeed be done; this is the meaning. Otherwise -)
The various types of sacrifices are mentioned in the verse 'dravyayajñāḥ' (4.28). In the context of charity, the gift of fearlessness is also included. Among these, any form of sacrifice must indeed be performed by all. This is the intended meaning; otherwise -
"ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वा वानप्रस्थो यतिस्तथा। यदीच्छेन्मोक्षमास्थातुं उत्तमाश्रममाश्रयेत्॥"
"brahmacārī gṛhastho vā vānaprastho yatistathā। yadīcchenmokṣamāsthātuṃ uttamāśramamāśrayet॥"
[ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - celibate student; गृहस्थः (gṛhasthaḥ) - householder; वा (vā) - or; वानप्रस्थः (vānaprasthaḥ) - forest dweller; यतिः (yatiḥ) - ascetic; तथा (tathā) - also; यदि (yadi) - if; इच्छेत् (icchet) - desires; मोक्षम् (mokṣam) - liberation; आस्थातुम् (āsthātum) - to attain; उत्तमाश्रमम् (uttamāśramam) - highest stage of life; आश्रयेत् (āśrayet) - should resort to;]
"Regardless of being a student, householder, forest dweller, or ascetic, if one seeks liberation, they should embrace the highest stage of life."
इत्यादि व्यासस्मृतिविरोधः।
ityādi vyāsasmṛtivirodhaḥ।
[इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - beginning; व्यास (vyāsa) - Vyasa; स्मृति (smṛti) - Smriti; विरोधः (virodhaḥ) - contradiction;]
Such statements of Vyasa are contradicted (if you argue sacrifices and charity are meant only for a section of the society).
ज्ञानयज्ञविद्याऽभयदानब्रह्मचर्यादितपसो हि ते। अतो यद्वच्चः अन्यथा प्रतीयते, अधिकारभेदेन तद्योज्यम्। अन्यथा इतरेषां गत्यभावात् ॥५, ६॥
jñānayajñavidyā'bhayadānabrahmacaryāditapaso hi te। ato yadvaccaḥ anyathā pratīyate, adhikārabhedena tadyojyam। anyathā itareṣāṃ gatyabhāvāt ॥5, 6॥
[ज्ञान (jñāna) - knowledge; यज्ञ (yajña) - sacrifice; विद्या (vidyā) - learning; अभय (abhaya) - fearlessness; दान (dāna) - charity; ब्रह्मचर्य (brahmacarya) - celibacy; आदि (ādi) - etc.; तपसः (tapasaḥ) - of austerity; हि (hi) - indeed; ते (te) - they; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; यद्वत् (yadvat) - as; वचः (vacaḥ) - speech; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; प्रतीयते (pratīyate) - appears; अधिकार (adhikāra) - qualification; भेदेन (bhedena) - by distinction; तत् (tat) - that; योज्यम् (yojyam) - should be applied; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; इतरेषाम् (itareṣām) - of others; गतिः (gatiḥ) - progress; अभावात् (abhāvāt) - due to absence;]
The practices of knowledge, sacrifice, learning, fearlessness, charity, celibacy, and austerity are indeed significant. Speech is the other one. Therefore, all these should be applied according to one's capacity. Otherwise, the progress of a select few is hampered.
Gīta Tātparya 18.06
Sacrifice, charity and austerity are of various types, including giving knowledge, offering protection etc. as elaborated in 4.28. Chanting name of the Lord can be done by all. Hence, these duties must be performed by all classes of society, and is not restricted to a few, as interpreted by other Āchāryas.
Note: The below argument is presented to oppose the view of other Acharyas, who have argued sacrifices, charity and austerity are meant for only specific classes of people.
द्रव्ययज्ञादीनां मध्ये स्वोचितो यज्ञो विद्यादानादिषु स्वोचितं दानं स्वोचितं तपश्च सर्वैः वर्णाश्रमिभिः अन्यैश्च कार्यमेवेत्यर्थः। विष्णुनामस्वाध्यायो अन्त्यानां सत्योपवासादितपश्च ॥५, ६॥
dravyayajñādīnāṃ madhye svocito yajño vidyādānādiṣu svocitaṃ dānaṃ svocitaṃ tapaśca sarvaiḥ varṇāśramibhiḥ anyaiśca kāryamevetyarthaḥ। viṣṇunāmasvādhyāyo antyānāṃ satyopavāsāditapaśca ॥5, 6॥
[द्रव्ययज्ञादीनां (dravyayajñādīnāṃ) - of material sacrifices; मध्ये (madhye) - among; स्वोचितः (svocitaḥ) - appropriate; यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - sacrifice; विद्यादानादिषु (vidyādānādiṣu) - in the giving of knowledge, etc.; स्वोचितं (svocitaṃ) - appropriate; दानं (dānaṃ) - charity; स्वोचितं (svocitaṃ) - appropriate; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; च (ca) - and; सर्वैः (sarvaiḥ) - by all; वर्णाश्रमिभिः (varṇāśramibhiḥ) - by those in the social and spiritual orders; अन्यैः (anyaiḥ) - by others; च (ca) - and; कार्यं (kāryaṃ) - to be done; एव (eva) - indeed; इत्यर्थः (ityarthaḥ) - this is the meaning; विष्णुनामस्वाध्यायः (viṣṇunāmasvādhyāyaḥ) - study of the names of Vishnu; अन्त्यानां (antyānāṃ) - of the lowest; सत्योपवासादितपः (satyopavāsāditapaḥ) - truth, fasting, etc.; च (ca) - and;]
Among the various types of sacrifices, the one that is appropriate should be performed. In the giving of knowledge and other acts, appropriate charity and austerity should be practiced by all, including those in different social and spiritual orders. This is the essence. The study of Vishnu's names, truthfulness, fasting, and other austerities is also to be observed by the lowest classes as well.
