दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् | स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ||
duḥkham ity eva yat karma kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet
Translation
One who abandons action just because it is painful or from fear of bodily trouble — such a one commits rajasic abandonment and does not gain the fruit of renunciation.
Interpretation
Rajasic abandonment: quitting because the work is painful or physically demanding. The rajasic person cannot sustain effort when it becomes difficult — they switch to something more pleasurable or comfortable, rationalizing the switch as wisdom. But abandoning duty because it is hard (duhkham) or because one fears physical effort (kaya-klesha-bhaya) produces no spiritual fruit. The result of action performed through difficulty with equanimity is growth; the result of abandonment from weakness is stagnation.