Bhagwad Gita - Post 62

Dear All,

Let us see the question put up by Arjuna .

Verse 1

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Sannyaasam karmanaam Krishna

Punar yogam cha shamsasi;

Yacchreya etayorekam

Tanme broohi sunishchitam.

Arjuna said:

Renunciation of actions, O Krishna, Thou praisest, and again Yoga! Tell me conclusively which is the better of the two.

The Lord answers:

Verse 2

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:

Sannyaasah karmayogashcha

Nihshreyasakaraa vubhau;

Tayostu karmasannyaasaat

Karmayogo vishishyate.

The Blessed Lord said:

Renunciation and the Yoga of action both lead to the highest bliss; but of the two, the Yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action.

Verse 3

Jneyah sa nityasannyaasi

Yo na dweshti na kaangkshati;

Nirdwandwo hi mahaabaaho

Sukham bandhaat pramuchyate.

He should be known as a perpetual Sannyasin who neither hates nor desires; for, free from the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he is easily set free from bondage!

According to the Lord, he is a sanyasi who "neither likes nor dislikes." Likes and dislikes, success and failure, joy and  sorrow and such other pairs-of-opposites are the wheels on which the mind rolls forward earning the experiences of life. 

Arjuna has asked which path is better - Path of renunciation or path of action.

How does one reconcile action and renunciation or inaction, which seem to be opposite to each other? 

Krishna gives a simple answer. “Change the definition of renunciation”.

It is impossible to give up action as long as one is in a society, whether as a house holder or even as  a Swami running ashram for imparting knowledge to the world.

Krishna asserts that it is not action that should be given up but  what is to be given up is DESIRE for action and for the fruits of such action.

Swami says,

“Let us consider how to deal with desire. To conquer desire, you have to have a sacrificing nature. You must be steeped in renunciation. Renunciation does not mean that you give up your family and go to the forest. Nor does it require to give up all property and take up Sanyasa. Once you realize the defects in any object, you recognize the transitory ness and worthlessness as far as   helping you to reach the ultimate Goal (God realization), you will automatically stop desiring it”.

Such a being who neither hates pain and the objects which give him pain, nor desires pleasure and the objects that give him pleasure, who had neither attachment nor aversion to any sense object should be known as a perpetual sanyasi though he may ever be engaged in action.

One may not even take to Sanyasa formally but if he has the above mental attitude, he is a sanyasi.  What is wanted is pure heart with true renunciation of ego.

So, for the question put up by Arjuna, Krishna is clarifying that out of Karma Yoga (Performing actions not with desires but as a Yoga)  and Karma Sanyasa (renunciation of action), Yoga is better.

Love.