Chapter 5
Karma Sannyasa Yoga
कर्मसंन्यासयोग
The Yoga of Renunciation of Action · 29 verses
Summary · Path of Action
Renunciation and disciplined action, Krishna says, lead to the same goal — but of the two, selfless action is better. One who works without attachment, offering results to the Lord, is untouched by sin like a lotus leaf in water. Anchored in the Self, such a person sees all beings with equal eyes.
action over renunciationlotus-leaf detachmentequal vision
1 Karma Sannyasa Yoga अर्जुन उवाच |
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि |
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ||५-१|| 5.1 Arjuna said You praise, O Krsna, the renunciation of actions and then praise Karma Yoga also. Tell me with certainly which of these is the superior one leading to the ultimate good. ›2 Karma Sannyasa Yoga श्रीभगवानुवाच |
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ |
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ||५-२|| 5.2 The Lord said Renunciation of actions and Karma Yoga, both lead to the highest excellence. But, of the two, Karma Yoga excels the renunciation of actions. ›3 Karma Sannyasa Yoga ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति |
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ||५-३|| 5.3 He who neither hates nor desires and is beyond the pairs of opposites is to be understood as an ever-renouncer. Hence, he is easily set free from bondage, O Arjuna. ›4 Karma Sannyasa Yoga साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः |
एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ||५-४|| 5.4 Children, not the learned, speak of Sankhya (Jnana Yoga) and Yoga (Karma Yoga) as distinct; he who is firmly set in one, attans the fruit of both. ›5 Karma Sannyasa Yoga यत्साङ्ख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते |
एकं साङ्ख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति ||५-५|| 5.5 That state which is reached by the Sankhyans, the same is reached by the Yogins, i.e., the same state is attained also by those who are Karma Yogins. He alone is wise who sees that the Sankhya and the Yoga are one and the same because of their having the same result. ›6 Karma Sannyasa Yoga संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः |
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ||५-६|| 5.6 But renunciation, O mighty-armed, is hard to attain without (following) Yoga. The contemplating sage who follows Yoga reaches the Brahman (the self or Atman) soon. ›7 Karma Sannyasa Yoga योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः |
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ||५-७|| 5.7 He who follows the Yoga and is pure in self (mind), who has subdued his self and has conered his senses and whose self has become the self of all beings, even while he is acting, he is untainted. ›8 Karma Sannyasa Yoga नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् |
पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् ||५-८|| 5.8 The knower of the truth, who is devoted to Yoga should think, 'I do not at all do anything' even though he is seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing; ›9 Karma Sannyasa Yoga प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ||५-९|| 5.9 Speaking, discharging, grasping, opening, closing his eyes etc. He should always bear in mind that the senses operate among sense-objects. ›10 Karma Sannyasa Yoga ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः |
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ||५-१०|| 5.10 He who acts without attachment, reposing all actions on Brahman (Prakrti), is untouched by evil, as a lotus-leaf by water. ›11 Karma Sannyasa Yoga कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि |
योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये ||५-११|| 5.11 Merely witth the body, the mind, the intellect and the senses, Yogins do actions, renouncing attachment, for the purification of the self. ›12 Karma Sannyasa Yoga युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् |
अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ||५-१२|| 5.12 A Yogin, renouncing the fruits of his actions, attains lasting peace. But the unsteady man who is attached to fruits of actions, being impelled by desire, is bound. ›13 Karma Sannyasa Yoga सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी |
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ||५-१३|| 5.13 The embodied self, mentally resigning all actions as belonging to the city of nine gates (i.e., the body) and becoming self-controlled, dwells happily, neither himself acting nor causing the body to act. ›14 Karma Sannyasa Yoga न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः |
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ||५-१४|| 5.14 The lord of the body (the self i.e., the Jiva) does not create agency, nor actions, nor union with the fruits of actions in relation to the world of selves. It is only the inherent tendencies that function. ›15 Karma Sannyasa Yoga नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः |
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः ||५-१५|| 5.15 The all-pervading One takes away neither the sin nor the merit of any one. Knowledge is enveloped by ignorance. Creatures are thery deluded. ›16 Karma Sannyasa Yoga ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः |
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ||५-१६|| 5.16 But for those in whom this ignorance is destroyed by the knowledge of the self, that knowledge, in their case, is supreme and shines like the sun. ›17 Karma Sannyasa Yoga तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः |
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ||५-१७|| 5.17 Those whose intellects pursue It (the self), 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 go whence there is no return. ›18 Karma Sannyasa Yoga Essential विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि |
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ||५-१८|| 5.18 The sages look with an eal eye on one endowed with learning and humility, a Brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater. ›19 Karma Sannyasa Yoga इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः |
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः ||५-१९|| 5.19 Here itself Samsara is overcome by those whose minds rest in ealness. For the Brahman (individual self), when uncontaminated by Prakrti, is the same everywhere. Therefore they abide in Brahman. ›20 Karma Sannyasa Yoga न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् |
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ||५-२०|| 5.20 He who knows Brahman (individual self) and abides in Brahman, whose mind is steadfastly on the self and undeluded by the body consciousness - he neither rejoices at gaining what is pleasant, nor grieves on obtaining what is unpleasant. ›21 Karma Sannyasa Yoga बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम् |
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते ||५-२१|| 5.21 He whose mind is detached from external contact, and finds happiness in the self - he has his mind engaged in the contemplation of Brahman and he enjoys undecaying bliss. ›22 Karma Sannyasa Yoga ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते |
आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः ||५-२२|| 5.22 For those pleasures that are born of contact are wombs or pain. They have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna. The wise do not rejoice in them. ›23 Karma Sannyasa Yoga शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् |
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः ||५-२३|| 5.23 He who is able, even here, before he is released from the body, to bear the impulse generated by desire and wrath, he is a Yogin (competent for self-realisation); he is the happy man. ›24 Karma Sannyasa Yoga योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः |
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति ||५-२४|| 5.24 He whose joy is within, pleasure is within, and similarly light is within - he is a Yogin, who having become the Brahman, attains the bliss of the Brahman. ›25 Karma Sannyasa Yoga लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः |
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ||५-२५|| 5.25 The sages who are free from the pairs of opposites, whose minds are well subdued and who are devoted to the welfare of all beings, become cleansed of all impurities and attain the bliss of the Brahman. ›26 Karma Sannyasa Yoga कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् |
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ||५-२६|| 5.26 To those who are free from desire and wrath, who are wont to exert themselves, whose thought is controlled, and who have conered it - the beatitude of the Brahman is close at hand. ›27 Karma Sannyasa Yoga स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः |
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ||५-२७|| 5.27 Shutting off outward contacts, fixing the gaze between the eye-brows, ealising inward and outward breaths moving in the nostrils; ›28 Karma Sannyasa Yoga यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः |
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः ||५-२८|| 5.28 The sage who has controlled his senses, mind and intellect, who is intent on release as his final goal, freed for ever from desire, fear and wrath - is indeed liberated forever. ›29 Karma Sannyasa Yoga भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् |
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ||५-२९|| 5.29 Knowing Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds, as the Friend of every being, he attains peace. ›