“But Bhagavad-gītā says:

na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām | yojayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran ||

The wise man should not disturb the intelligence of the ignorant attached to results of work. Engaging in all work himself with detachment, he should engage them in activity. BG 3.26

Thus it is forbidden to give up karma.”

That is true. This instruction is given to one who is teaching jñāna to another person. Practicing jñāna depends on inner purification, and that purification depends on niṣkāma-karma. This is not an instruction for one teaching another person about bhakti, for bhakti is independently powerful, not depending on prior inner purification. Lord Ajita says:

svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi | na rāti rogiṇo ’pathyaṁ vāñchato ’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||

One who knows the highest good will never instruct a foolish person to engage in material enjoyment, just as an experienced physician gives his patient eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it. SB 6.9.50

Therefore the Lord says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66) and as well:

dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ

Having taken complete shelter at My lotus feet, however, a saintly person ultimately renounces such ordinary religious duties and worships Me alone. He is thus considered to be the best among all living entities. SB 11.11.32

From the strength of these statements one should teach only bhakti to the Lord, while giving up attachment to daily and periodic duties in varṇāśrama. With this intention the verse is spoken.

Even in the beginning stage of bhakti, practice of karma is forbidden. Having given up ones dharma (tyaktvā svadharmān) even at the beginning stages of bhakti, a person who worships the lotus feet of the Lord will incur no sin by giving up that dharma. This is understood also from the following:

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

Anyone who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers. SB 11.5.41

And if the person dies without being qualified to attain the Lord, or (vā), if while alive falls down because of sinful acts, being attached to material pleasures, even then, there is no misfortune incurred by having given up karmas, because the impressions created by bhakti are indestructible, and remain in subtle form. In such a state one should not revert to performance of karma. Is there any misfortune somewhere (yatra kva), in his next life? No there is no misfortune at all. Vā indicates a remote possibility of falling. It is stated as a concession to the opponent (tuṣyatu durjana nyāya). His falling after leaving the present body is actually not a fall—one does not take a low body because of omitting karmas. This is shown by the following statement of the Lord:

na hy aṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaṅ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ

O Uddhava! Because I have personally established it, this process of niṣkāma-bhakti is beyond the guṇas. Even by starting and not completing the process, there is no destruction of results. SB 11.29.20

This is because certainly the sprout of bhakti, being productive, will eventually bear leaves, flowers and fruit. Instead of the present or future verb, the past tense is used (abhūt). This implies a criticism of all those who object (by showing that the fact is already proven). And what is gained from performing all of one’s karmas (sva-dharmataḥ) by persons who do not worship the Lord (abhajatām).