The Lord’s decree is that the ignorant should perform works.
Now, as to these divergent views,
निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम ।
त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ४ ॥
niścayaṃ śṛṇu me tatra tyāge bharatasattama .
tyāgo hi puruṣavyāghra trividhaḥ samprakīrtitaḥ .. 4 ..
Read the commentary
Do thou learn from My words the truth as to the alternatives of abandonment and renunciation referred to. Abandonment (tyaga): the Lord has used this single word here, implying that the meaning of ’tyaga’ and ‘samnyasa’ is one and the same. Of three kinds: Tamasic, etc. Declared: in the sastras. Because it is hard to know the fact that the threefold (Tamasic, etc.) abandonment denoted by the words ’tyaga’ and ‘samnyasa’ is possible in the case of him alone who does not know the Self and for whom works are intended,—not in the case of him who sees the Supreme Reality,—therefore no one, other than Myself, is able to teach the real truth about the subject. Wherefore, learn from Me what My—the Lord’s—decree is as to the real teaching of the sastra.
What is the decree then?—The Lord says :