न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते | न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति || ४ ||
na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo 'śnute na ca saṁnyasanād eva siddhiṁ samadhigacchati
na—not; karmaṇām—of prescribed duties; anārambhāt—by non-performance; naiṣkarmyam—freedom from reaction; puruṣaḥ—man; aśnute—achieves; na—nor; ca—also; saṁnyasanāt—by renunciation; eva—simply; siddhim—perfection; samadhigacchati—attains.
“Not by abstaining from action does a person attain freedom from karmic bondage, nor by mere renunciation alone does one attain perfection.”
Mere external inaction is not spiritual. If a person gives up action while the mind still craves results, no purification occurs. Similarly, formal renunciation of the sannyasa order is not sufficient unless it is accompanied by genuine inner detachment and devotion to the Lord. True naiṣkarmya arises from performing all acts as worship to Ishvara.
Quitting your job or responsibilities does not automatically free you from mental agitation. Freedom from karma comes from the spirit in which you act, not the volume of activity. Before abandoning responsibilities, examine whether the desire to quit is genuine renunciation or simply avoidance driven by frustration.