Chapter 5 · 29 verses

The Yoga of Renunciation (Karma Sannyasa Yoga) कर्मसंन्यासयोग

Is it better to give up action or to act selflessly? Krishna says both lead to the same goal, but selfless action is easier. One who sees the same Divine in all remains peaceful and free within.

This English meaning is newly written by Bhajan Dhun and is still being reviewed by scholars.

1. 5.1

   अर्जुन उवाच

   संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि ।
   यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥५.१॥

   Arjuna said: O Krishna, you praise renunciation of action and then again the yoga of action. Tell me decisively which of the two is better.

2. 5.2

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
   तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥५.२॥

   The Lord said: Both renunciation and the yoga of action lead to the highest good, but of the two, the yoga of action is superior to renunciation of action.

3. 5.3

   ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति ।
   निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥५.३॥

   O mighty-armed, know that one who neither hates nor desires is a constant renunciate. Free from the pairs of opposites, such a person is easily released from bondage.

4. 5.4

   सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः ।
   एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥५.४॥

   Only the unwise say that Sankhya (knowledge) and Yoga (action) give different results, not the learned. One who is truly established in either gains the fruit of both.

5. 5.5

   यत्सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते ।
   एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥५.५॥

   The state reached by the followers of knowledge is reached by the followers of action as well. One who sees Sankhya and Yoga as one truly sees.

6. 5.6

   संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः ।
   योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥५.६॥

   But renunciation, O mighty-armed, is hard to attain without the yoga of action. The sage devoted to selfless action soon reaches Brahman.

7. 5.7

   योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः ।
   सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥५.७॥

   One who is devoted to yoga, pure in mind, master of body and senses, and who sees their own Self in all beings, is not tainted though acting.

8. 5.8

   नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ।
   पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन् ॥५.८॥

   The yogi who knows the truth thinks, "I do nothing at all," even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping and breathing,

9. 5.9

   प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।
   इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ॥५.९॥

   speaking, letting go, grasping, opening and closing the eyes — understanding that it is only the senses moving among their objects.

10. 5.10

    ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः ।
    लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥५.१०॥

    One who acts offering all actions to Brahman and giving up attachment is not touched by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not touched by water.

11. 5.11

    कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि ।
    योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये ॥५.११॥

    Yogis act with body, mind, intellect and even the senses alone, giving up attachment, for the purification of the self.

12. 5.12

    युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् ।
    अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ॥५.१२॥

    The disciplined person, giving up the fruit of action, attains lasting peace; the undisciplined, attached to the fruit through desire, is bound.

13. 5.13

    सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी ।
    नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ॥५.१३॥

    Renouncing all actions in the mind, the self-controlled soul dwells happily in the city of nine gates (the body), neither acting nor causing action.

14. 5.14

    न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः ।
    न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ॥५.१४॥

    The Lord does not create the sense of doership in people, nor their actions, nor the link between action and result. It is nature that is at work.

15. 5.15

    नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः ।
    अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः ॥५.१५॥

    The all-pervading Lord does not take on anyone's sin or merit. Knowledge is veiled by ignorance, and so beings are deluded.

16. 5.16

    ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः ।
    तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥५.१६॥

    But for those whose ignorance is destroyed by knowledge of the Self, that knowledge, like the sun, reveals the Supreme.

17. 5.17

    तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः ।
    गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ॥५.१७॥

    Those whose intellect, mind and faith rest in That and who are devoted to That, their sins washed away by knowledge, do not return to birth.

18. 5.18

    विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि ।
    शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ॥५.१८॥

    The wise look with an equal eye on a learned and humble Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and an outcaste.

19. 5.19

    इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः ।
    निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः ॥५.१९॥

    Those whose minds rest in equality have conquered the world in this very life. Brahman is flawless and the same in all; so they are established in Brahman.

20. 5.20

    न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् ।
    स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ॥५.२०॥

    One who neither rejoices on getting what is pleasant nor grieves on getting what is unpleasant — steady in mind, undeluded, knowing Brahman — is established in Brahman.

21. 5.21

    बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम् ।
    स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते ॥५.२१॥

    Unattached to external contacts, one finds happiness within; united with Brahman through yoga, such a person enjoys imperishable joy.

22. 5.22

    ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते ।
    आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः ॥५.२२॥

    O son of Kunti, the pleasures born of contact with sense objects are sources of sorrow; they have a beginning and an end. The wise do not delight in them.

23. 5.23

    शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् ।
    कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः ॥५.२३॥

    One who, here in this life before leaving the body, can withstand the force of desire and anger is a yogi and a happy person.

24. 5.24

    योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः ।
    स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति ॥५.२४॥

    One whose happiness is within, whose delight is within and whose light is within — that yogi, one with Brahman, attains the bliss of Brahman.

25. 5.25

    लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः ।
    छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥५.२५॥

    Sages whose sins are destroyed, whose doubts are dispelled, who are self-controlled and devoted to the welfare of all beings, attain the bliss of Brahman.

26. 5.26

    कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।
    अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ॥५.२६॥

    For disciplined seekers free from desire and anger, with minds controlled and knowing the Self, the bliss of Brahman is near on all sides.

27. 5.27

    स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः ।
    प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ॥५.२७॥

    Shutting out external contacts, fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, balancing the in-breath and out-breath moving within the nostrils,

28. 5.28

    यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः ।
    विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः ॥५.२८॥

    with senses, mind and intellect controlled, intent on liberation, free from desire, fear and anger — such a sage is ever free.

29. 5.29

    भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
    सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥५.२९॥

    Knowing me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all worlds and the selfless friend of all beings, one attains peace.