यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् | यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ||
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām
Translation
Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned; they must indeed be performed. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity are purifiers of the wise.
Interpretation
Krishna's position is clear: yajna, dana, and tapas must not be given up — they are the three great purifiers. Even for the wisest, these continue to be necessary because they purify the inner instrument, keep one connected to the larger whole, and embody the values of giving, discipline, and devotion. The Gita never advocates the kind of renunciation that withdraws from these core life-practices. What must be given up is not the practice but the fruit-attachment.