Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingसहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः
saha-jaṁ karma kaunteya sa-doṣham api na tyajet
sarvārambhā hi doṣheṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛitāḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaO son of Kunti, one should not give up the duty to which one is born, even though it be imperfect. For all undertakings are surrounded by evil, as fire is with smoke.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
हे कौन्तेय ! दोषयुक्त होने पर भी सहज कर्म को नहीं त्यागना चाहिए; क्योंकि सभी कर्म दोष से आवृत होते है, जैसे धुयें से अग्नि।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiसहजङ् कर्म कौन्तेय
सदोष मपि नत्य जेत्
सर्वा रम्भा हिदोषे ण
धूमे नाग् निरि वावृ ताः
॥ ४८ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthasaha-jamborn of one’s nature
karmaduty
kaunteyaArjun, the son of Kunti
sa-doṣhamwith defects
apieven if
na tyajetone should not abandon
sarva-ārambhāḥall endeavors
hiindeed
doṣheṇawith evil
dhūmenawith smoke
agniḥfire
ivaas
āvṛitāḥveiled
Meaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA18.48Should one's inborn duty be dropped because it has defects?
O son of Kunti, one should not give up the duty to which one is born, even though it be imperfect. For all undertakings are surrounded by evil, as fire is with smoke.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.