Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

After talking about renunciation in mode of ignorance now He is talking renunciation in mode of passion.

Bg 18.8

duḥkham ity eva yat karma
kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet
sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ
naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet

Synonyms: 

duḥkham — unhappy; iti — thus; eva — certainly; yat — which; karma — work; kāya — for the body; kleśa — trouble; bhayāt — out of fear; tyajet — gives up; saḥ — he; kṛtvā — after doing; rājasam — in the mode of passion; tyāgam — renunciation; na — not; eva — certainly; tyāga — of renunciation; phalam — the results; labhet — gains.

Translation: 

Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation.

duḥkham ity eva yat karma, somebody thinks that this work is very troublesome,

kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet, and one thinks that it is too much, kāya-kleśa, one things that it is too much for the body, and because there is so much for the body I will not do the activities,

And that kind of activity is sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ, that is Tyaga in the mode of passion,

naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet, this will not lead to the fruit of renunciation. Fruit of renunciation refers to, the renunciation itself is not the goal, generally it leads to some other goal, that is liberation, so if one is giving up activities because of irresponsibility, in terms of not just illusion but evasion, evasion means one doesn’t want to do hard work, one evades, I am made to do this but I will not do this. One is evasive means one is not doing what one is expected to do, evade responsibility as we say, so this is kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet, frustration is not just enough for renunciation, that may be an initial spark, joining brahmachari ashram because of frustrated love affair is not sufficient. Someone is working for 15-16 hours then he thinks why I have to work this much I will just go to the temple and sing and dance and I will be happy this kind of renunciation which is because one thinks that material life is too troublesome is rājasaṁ.

Now we may say why rājasaṁ isn’t it that we are meant to understand that this world is dukhalayam, and then turn from this world to take up spiritual life. That is true definitely, philosophically we have to understand that this world is place of suffering then one has to turn towards spiritual world that is definitely required but this understanding that this world is a place of misery comes when one is in

mode of goodness, or when one is cultivating goodness, when one wants sense gratification and when one is frustrated in sense gratification, both of these, the craving for sense gratification and the frustration in sense gratification, both of these are characteristic of sense gratification, so infatuation of sense gratification is in the characteristic of mode of passion that Krishna says in 3rd chapter 37th verse, that Kama Eaha Krodha Eaha Rajo Guna Samud Bhava, so Kama and Krodha how do they come about? Rajo Guna Samud Bhava, wherever there is mode of passion that is where they emerge. So Kama and Krodha is in mode of passion, Kama is desire for sense gratification whereas Krodha is frustration from sense gratification, Krodha can go down to ignorance also. Whole point is, the frustration which comes when one finds the persuade of material enjoyment too troublesome and because of that one wants to give it up, if one’s overall lifestyle and consciousness is in passion then that frustration is not going to last because one thinks that this particular opportunity of enjoyment didn’t work out but may be some other opportunity will work out, or may be it is not working for me but for others it is working, When a person is in mode of passion he will not be convinced that this world is dukhalaya, that person is simply thinking that my world if dukhalaya, so my world is dukhalaya but if I go somewhere else it will be sukhalaya, so this is actually mode of passion, as we say that grass is always greener on the other side, that doesn’t mean that never other situation will be better definitely certain situations will be preferable and certain situations not, that is to be decided in calm deliberation and not in impulsive illusion, so when we say this world is dukhalayam that is based on philosophical understanding and then observation and realization of the scriptural teachings. So in between lot of sufferings maya gives little pleasure so that we can keep going. Maya will never make us hopelessly frustrated, actually there is enough happiness in this world which will make us forget that this place is a miserable place. So people think that whatever little happiness they are getting they think that is worthy for me but it is not worth it. To make a person turn towards Krishna just frustration from this world is not enough there has to be philosophical understanding and devotional purification, then there is turning of heart towards Krishna , so frustration can be a starting point but to reject material life completely, we need higher taste in devotion and philosophical understanding and one has to turn towards Krishna. So if one renounce this world just because of trouble and frustration of this material world that is in mode of passion.

So initially in ISKCON those who wanted to join as Brahmachari were allowed to join immediately but later on it is realized that everyone is not able to sustain because it is not just someone is frustrated in material life so he can join and sustain, so later on those who wanted to join has to prove their commitment by serious practice of devotional service for several years it should not be impulsive, someone might be just attracted by chanting dancing and feasting but there is a whole complex mind to deal with, so one cannot just forget the problems that mind is going to create. So after one completes his duty e.g. material education then can have some experience of the world can provide some financial security to the parents then one can join, similarly a grihasta cannot become irresponsible in the name of transcendental or renounced one has to do one’s family duties, at the sometimes one should not become over ambitious in material life and neglect his spiritual life, one has to balance by taking advice from seniors as well as by one’s own experience. So one should not mistake frustration in material life as qualification for renunciation, renunciation is not cheap, one has to qualify by having positive attachment to Krishna.

End of transcription.