Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

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

Now someone may say why should one work if one wanted to avoid bondage it is best to avoid work also. So that there is no bondage. So Krishna is telling here actually that is not possible. 

Bg 18.11

na hi deha-bhṛtā śakyaṁ
tyaktuṁ karmāṇy aśeṣataḥ
yas tu karma-phala-tyāgī
sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate

Synonyms: 

na — never; hi — certainly; deha–bhṛtā — by the embodied; śakyam — is possible; tyaktum — to be renounced; karmāṇi — activities; aśeṣataḥ — altogether; yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; karma — of work; phala — of the result; tyāgī — the renouncer; saḥ — he; tyāgī — the renouncer; iti — thus; abhidhīyate — is said.

Translation: 

It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. But he who renounces the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced.

na hi deha-bhṛtā śakyaṁ, it is not possible Arjuna for deha-bhṛtā for the living entity  who is having body, tyaktuṁ karmāṇy aśeṣataḥ, to give up all work completely, Krishna has used the word aśeṣataḥ, several times, most prominently in 7.2 which means I am speaking to you in complete with nothing left, so without anything remaining to give up all karma is not possible, therefore yas tu karma-phala-tyāgī, so one who is karma-phala-tyāgī, sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate, so therefore one who gives up the fruits of work that person is a true renunciate, because ultimately the point is as long as we are embodied, the body itself even for its basic survival, requires us to do certain activity, and there are so many work which body do automatically without we putting conscious endeavors. But even basic activity like we have to eat and protect ourselves, so all these kinds of action will cause bondage and how does one stay free from that? Giving up action is not possible, because that will make even survival impossible, it is our nature to be active, soul by nature is active, as Krishna also said in 3rd chapter that even for a Kshana also it is not possible to stay away from inaction, therefore one should act in a way that does not cause bondage, sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate.

End of transcription.