5. Renunciation

Karm Sanyās Yog

BG 5.1 - 29

Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्िचतम्


Arjuna said: You advocate for renunciation of action, yet you also praise Karma yoga. Please tell me conclusively, which of the two is more beneficial for me?

Commentary

Verse 2

श्री भगवानुवाच
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते


Krishna said: Renunciation of actions and righteous action both lead to salvation. However, of the two, right actions are superior to renounced actions.

Commentary

Verse 3

ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते

One who is free from hatred and from all dualities is a person of renunciation, and is certainly freed from bondage.

Commentary

Verse 4

सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः
एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्

The ignorant proclaim the path of renunciation to be different from that of righteous action. The learned know that one who has become situated in even one of the two, achieves the result of both.

Commentary

Verse 5

यत्सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते
एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति

That which is attained through spiritual wisdom is also attained by working with devotion. The wise see them both as the same.

Commentary

Verse 6

संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति

However, without right action, it is difficult to attain renunciation. The sage who is a master of righteous action quickly attains divine consciousness.

Commentary

Verse 7

योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते

One who unites with righteous action, acting with a pure intellect and control of the mind and senses seeing the same soul in all living beings, is capable of acting while remaining detached.

Commentary

Verse 8

नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्
पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन्



Though the saint sees, hears, touches, smells, eats, moves, sleeps, and breathes, they know the truth and know that they are not the one who acts.

Commentary

Verse 9

प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन्

Though they talk, give, receive, open their eyes, and shut them, they know the senses are merely operating on the objects of perception.

Commentary

Verse 10

ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा

One who dedicates all action to Brahman, and abandons all attachment, is untouched by sin like a lotus leaf above water.

Commentary

Verse 11

कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि
योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये

The sage renounces attachment and uses the body, mind, intellect, and senses as a means of purification.

Commentary

Verse 12

युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्
अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते

One who abandons the fruit of action attains everlasting peace. Those who remain attached to the fruit of their actions, driven by desire for the outcome, remain in bondage to attachment.

Commentary

Verse 13

सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन्

One who mentally renounces all action enjoys happiness and self-control of the body, neither doing anything nor causing anything to be done.

Commentary

Verse 14

न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते

God does not ordain activity, create incentives, or define the relation between cause and effect - this is all enacted by nature.

Commentary

Verse 15

नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः

God does not accept anyone's virtuous deed nor their sins. Knowledge remains covered by ignorance, and keeps living beings submerged in delusion.

Commentary

Verse 16

ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्

But those for whom knowledge of the self has destroyed this ignorance, their wisdom shines like the sun.

Commentary

Verse 17

तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः

Those whose intellects pursue it, whose minds think about it, who undergo discipline for it, and who hold it as their highest object, have their impurities cleansed by knowledge and reach a state from which there is no return.

Commentary

Verse 18

विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः

The sage looks upon all with equanimity - a humble and wise priest, a cow, an elephant, a dog, or even an outcaste.

Commentary

Verse 19

इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः

Even in this world, those whose minds remain equanimous and established in Brahman conquer the cycle of rebirth.

Commentary

Verse 20

न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम्
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः

One who knows and lives in that highest reality remains unmoved and unperturbed, neither elated by pleasure nor depressed by pain.

Commentary

Verse 21

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते

One who finds happiness within their own self, whose mind is detached from external contact and remains engaged in the contemplation on Brahman, enjoys everlasting bliss.

Commentary

Verse 22

ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते
आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः

The enjoyments of the material world only bring pain, for they have a beginning and an end. The wise do not rejoice in them.

Commentary

Verse 23

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः

One who learns to overcome the impulses of desire and anger, before being released from the body, is a saintly and happy person.

Commentary

Verse 24

योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति

One whose happiness is within, whose pleasure is within, and whose inner light shines, attains eternal bliss and becomes one with the spirit of Brahman.

Commentary

Verse 25

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः

The sages, whose sins have been washed away, whose minds are subdued, and who only seek the welfare of all beings, become one with the eternal spirit of Brahman.

Commentary

Verse 26

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्

Those who are free from desire and anger, who truly know themselves and can control their minds, find eternal bliss to be everywhere.

Commentary

Verse 27 - 28

स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः


Depriving the mind of external contact and fixing the attention between the eyebrows, realizing the inward and outward breaths passing through the nostrils,

that sage who has controlled the senses, mind, and intellect, and is free from desire, fear, and anger, attains eternal liberation.

Commentary

Verse 29

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति

One who knows me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, as the mighty ruler of all the worlds, and friend to all beings, attains eternal peace.

Commentary

Next chapter

6. Meditation

Dhyān Yog
Chapter 5