Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 48 Meaning
One should not, O Arjuna, abandon the duty to which one is born, though it may be faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, just as fire is by smoke.
BG 18.48
सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः
saha-jaṁ karma kaunteya sa-doṣham api na tyajet sarvārambhā hi doṣheṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛitāḥ
Meaning
One should not, O Arjuna, abandon the duty to which one is born, though it may be faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, just as fire is by smoke.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 18.48 Mean?
Krishna offers a strikingly realistic instruction: do not abandon your natural duty even when it comes with difficulties, because all undertakings are accompanied by some form of imperfection, just as fire is always accompanied by smoke. This is spiritual maturity at its most practical. The idealist who abandons every imperfect situation in search of a perfect one will abandon everything and accomplish nothing.
Every profession, relationship, and path has its 'smoke.' The question is not whether your duty involves difficulty but whether the difficulty justifies abandonment. Almost always, the answer is no. This analogy of fire and smoke is brilliant in its simplicity: you do not refuse fire because of smoke. You accept the smoke as the natural accompaniment of something essential. Practically, this verse is a remedy for the modern tendency to quit when things become uncomfortable.
Discomfort in duty is not a sign that you are on the wrong path — it is the smoke that inevitably accompanies the fire of meaningful work.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 18.48?
The conclusion of the Gita, summarizing all paths and encouraging Arjuna to surrender to God.
Key themes in this chapter include Liberation, Surrender, Duty, Grace.
How Can I Apply Bhagavad Gita 18.48 in Daily Life?
- •When you need steadiness while dealing with liberation
- •When practicing surrender amid uncertainty
- •When applying duty to real-life choices
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Related Verses
BG 18.2
The Blessed Lord said, "The sages understand sannyasa to be the renunciation of action with desire; the wise declare the abandonment of the fruits of all actions to be tyaga."
BG 18.5
Acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; for sacrifice, gift, and austerity are the purifiers of the wise.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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