duḥkham ity eva yat karma kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet
"One who abandons action merely because it is painful or from fear of bodily discomfort—such renunciation is rajasic and does not yield the fruit of true relinquishment."
What This Means:
If you give up duties just because they're difficult or uncomfortable, that's rajasic renunciation. You won't get the real benefits of letting go.
Going Deeper:
Rajasic tyaga is motivated by avoidance of pain (duhkha) and physical effort (kaya-klesha). The person isn't seeking truth but comfort. Such renunciation provides temporary relief but no spiritual liberation because the attachment (to comfort) remains. The 'fruit of tyaga' is freedom, which requires facing difficulties, not fleeing them.
How To Apply This:
Notice when you're quitting something because it's genuinely wrong versus because it's hard. Growth often requires pushing through discomfort, not avoiding it.
Key Sanskrit Terms: