18-48

सहजम् कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषम् अपि न त्यजेत् ।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेन अग्निरिव आवृताः ॥ ४८ ॥

sahajam karma kaunteya sadoSam api na tyajet |
sarvArambhA hi doSeNa dhUmena agniriva AvRtAH || 48 ||

हि [hi] Indeed, सर्व आरम्भाः [sarva ArambhAH] all initiatives आवृताः [AvRtAH] are enveloped दोषेण [doSeNa] by drawbacks, इव [iva] just as अग्निः [agniH] fire धूमेन [dhUmena] is enveloped by smoke. कौन्तेय [kaunteya] Arjuna, सहजम् कर्म [sahajam karma] the natural state of activity न त्यजेत् [na tyajet] must not be abandoned, अपि [api] even though सदोषम् [sadoSam] it comes with its drawbacks.

Activity is innate. Activities are easily achievable and don’t carry mistakes. They must not be abandoned, even though they may come with drawbacks in the form of sorrow and hardship.

Just as fire is enveloped by smoke, all initiatives are surrounded by drawbacks - be they initiatives to achieve actions or to achieve knowledge.

Even when a person is able to contemplate on the Self exclusively , he needs to work without attachment . The distinction made here is: Working without attachment is easy and doesn’t carry any mistakes. On the other hand, the exclusive contemplation of the Self , practiced by giving up worldly activity is the opposite - it is tough and prone to fault.