Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 5
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 18 श्लोक 5

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्।
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम्।।18.5।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
18.5 The practice of sacrifice, charity and austerity is not to be abandoned; it is surely to be undertaken. Sacrifice, charity and austerity are verily the purifiers of the wise.


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
18.5 Acts such as sacrifices, gifts, austerities etc., enjoined in the Vedas should not be relinished by the aspirant for release, but should be performed day after day until his death.

Why?

Acts like sacrifices, gifts and austerities associated with the different stations of life, are the means of purification for the wise., i.e., for those given to contemplation. Contemplation is worship. For the aspirants who perform such worship (Upasana) throughout their lives, they (sacrifices etc.) are a help to erase the previous Karmas which stand in the way of the fulfilment of such worship.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 18.5Yajnadaanatapah karma na tyaajyam kaaryameva tat;
Yajno daanam tapashchaiva paavanaani maneeshinaam.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 18.5yajña—sacrifice; dāna—charity; tapaḥ—penance; karma—actions; na—never; tyājyam—should be abandoned; kāryam eva—must certainly be performed; tat—that; yajñaḥ—sacrifice; dānam—charity; tapaḥ—penance; cha—and; eva—indeed; pāvanāni—purifying; manīṣhiṇām—for the wise