sahajaṁ karma kaunteya sa-doṣam api na tyajet sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ
"One should not abandon one's natural duty, O son of Kunti, even though it has defects. For all undertakings are covered by defects as fire by smoke."
What This Means:
Don't abandon your natural work even if it has problems. Every activity has some imperfection, just as fire is always accompanied by smoke.
Going Deeper:
The fire-smoke analogy is brilliant. Fire is never without smoke, yet we value fire. Similarly, no action is perfect ('sarva arambha dosha'), yet action is necessary. 'Sahaja karma' (inborn duty) should be performed despite imperfections. This prevents paralysis from perfectionism and validates humble, sincere effort over impossible ideals.
How To Apply This:
Don't wait for perfect conditions or perfect skill to act. Every endeavor has flaws. Do your duty despite imperfections - that's better than doing nothing.
Key Sanskrit Terms: