na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma kuśale nānuṣajjate tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ
"The wise renouncer, imbued with sattva and free from doubt, neither hates unpleasant work nor is attached to pleasant work."
What This Means:
A true renouncer doesn't hate difficult tasks or cling to enjoyable ones. Filled with clarity and wisdom, they are free from all doubt about what to do.
Going Deeper:
This verse describes the psychology of the sattvic tyagi. They have equanimity toward both pleasant (kushala) and unpleasant (akushala) duties. 'Sattva-samavishta' means saturated with clarity. 'Medhavi' indicates practical wisdom. 'Chinna-samshaya' (doubt-free) recalls the goal stated in Chapter 4 - the sword of knowledge cuts all doubts.
How To Apply This:
Work on developing equanimity toward your tasks. Don't rush toward what you enjoy and drag your feet on what you dislike. Give both your full presence.
Key Sanskrit Terms: