śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāmyānāḿ karmaṇāḿ nyāsaḿ
sannyāsaḿ kavayo viduḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaḿ
prāhus tyāgaḿ vicakṣaṇāḥ
śrī- bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kāmyānām — with desire; karmaṇām — of activities; nyāsam — renunciation; sannyāsam — the renounced order of life; kavayaḥ — the learned; viduḥ — know; sarva — of all; karma — activities; phala — of results; tyāgam — renunciation; prāhuḥ — call; tyāgam — renunciation; vicakṣaṇāḥ — the experienced.
The performance of activities for results has to be given up. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. But activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not to be given up. This will be made clear in the next verses. In the Vedic literature there are many prescriptions of methods for performing sacrifice for some particular purpose. There are certain sacrifices to perform to attain a good son or to attain elevation to the higher planets, but sacrifices prompted by desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the purification of one's heart or for advancement in the spiritual science should not be given up.