Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 5 of 18 · 29 verses
Renunciation of Action
Karma Sannyāsa Yoga
What this chapter teaches
True renunciation is an inner state — freedom from the doer-sense — not the outer abandonment of work. The wise sage acts without acting, seeing all beings with an equal eye.
Arjuna is confused about the relative merits of renunciation (sannyāsa) and action (karma yoga). Krishna clarifies: both lead to liberation, but karma yoga is superior for most seekers because it is practicable while living in the world. The secret is internal renunciation — the understanding that the senses act upon the sense-objects while the true Self remains unmoved. The liberated sage sees the same Self in the scholar, the cow, the elephant, the outcaste, and the dog.
All 29 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
अर्जुन उवाच संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि। यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्िचतम्॥
arjuna uvāca saṁnyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṁ ca śaṁsasi | yacchreya etayorekaṁ tanme brūhi suniśicatam ||
Arjuna said O Krsna, You praise renunciation of actions, and again, (Karma-) yoga. Tell me for certain that one which is better between these two.
श्री भगवानुवाच संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ। तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca saṁnyāsaḥ karmayogaśca niḥśreyasakarāvubhau | tayostu karmasaṁnyāsātkarmayogo viśiṣyate ||
The Blessed Lord said Both renunciation of actions and Karma-yoga lead to Liberation. Between the two, Karma-yoga, however, excels over renunciation of actions.
ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति। निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते॥
jñeyaḥ sa nityasaṁnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati | nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukhaṁ bandhātpramucyate ||
He who does not hate and does not crave should be known as a man of constant renunciation.
सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः। एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्॥
sāṁkhyayogau pṛthagbālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ | ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyagubhayorvindate phalam ||
The fools, not the learned ones, speak of Sankhya (the path of Knowledge) and (Karma-) yoga as different. Any one who properly resorts to even one (of them) gets the result of both.
यत्सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते। एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति॥
yatsāṁkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ tadyogairapi gamyate | ekaṁ sāṁkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati ||
The State [Sthana (State) is used in the derivative sense of 'the place in which one remains established, and from which one does not become relegated'.] that is reached by the Sankhyas, that is reached by the yogis as well. He sees who sees Sankhya and yoga as one.
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः। योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति॥
saṁnyāsastu mahābāho duḥkhamāptumayogataḥ | yogayukto munirbrahma nacireṇādhigacchati ||
But, O mighty-armed one, renunciation is hard to attain without (Karma-) yoga. The meditative man eipped with yoga attains Brahman without delay.
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः। सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते॥
yogayukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ | sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvannapi na lipyate ||
Endowed with yoga, [i.e. devoted to the performance of the nitya and naimittika duties.] pure in mind, controlled in body, a coneror of the organs, the Self of the selves of all beings-he does not become tainted even while performing actions. [The construction of the sentence is this: When this person resorts to nitya and naimittika rites and duties as a means to the achievement of fully Illumination, and thus becomes fully enlightened, then, even when he acts through the apparent functions of the mind, organs, etc., he does not become afflected.]
नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्। पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन्॥
naiva kiṁcitkaromīti yukto manyeta tattvavit | paśyan śrṛṇavanspṛśañjighrannaśnangacchansvapan śvasan ||
प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन्॥
pralapanvisṛjangṛhṇannunmiṣannimiṣannapi | indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan ||
-5.9 Remaining absorbed in the Self, the knower of Reality should think, 'I certainly do not do anything', even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, releasing, holding, opening and closing the eyes-remembering that the organs function in relation to the objects of the organs.
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः। लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा॥
brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ | lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatramivāmbhasā ||
One who acts by dedicating actions to Brahman and by renouncing attachment, he does not become polluted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not by water.
कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि। योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये॥
kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalairindriyairapi | yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvā''tmaśuddhaye ||
By giving up attachment, the yogis undertake work merely through the body, mind, intellect and even the organs, for the purification of themselves.
युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्। अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते॥
yuktaḥ karmaphalaṁ tyaktvā śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīm | ayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate ||
Giving up the result of work by becoming resolute in faith, one attains Peace arising from steadfastness. One who is lacking in resolute faith, being attached to the result under the impulsion of desire, becomes bound.
सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी। नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन्॥
sarvakarmāṇi manasā saṁnyasyāste sukhaṁ vaśī | navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvanna kārayan ||
The embodied man of self-control, having given up all actions mentally, continues happily in the town of nine gates, without doing or causing (others) to do anything at all.
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः। न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते॥
na kartṛtvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ | na karmaphalasaṁyogaṁ svabhāvastu pravartate ||
The Self does not create agentship or any objects (of desire) for anyone; nor association with the results of actions. But it is Nature that acts.
नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः। अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः॥
nādatte kasyacitpāpaṁ na caiva sukṛtaṁ vibhuḥ | ajñānenāvṛtaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ ||
The Omnipresent neither accepts anybody's sin nor even virtue. Knowledge remains covered by ignorance. Thery the creatures become deluded.
ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः। तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्॥
jñānena tu tadajñānaṁ yeṣāṁ nāśitamātmanaḥ | teṣāmādityavajjñānaṁ prakāśayati tatparam ||
But in the case of those of whom that ignorance of theirs becomes destroyed by the knowledge (of the Self), their Knowledge, like the sun, reveals that supreme Reality.
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः। गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः॥
tadbuddhayastadātmānastanniṣṭhāstatparāyaṇāḥ | gacchantyapunarāvṛttiṁ jñānanirdhūtakalmaṣāḥ ||
Those who have their intellect absorbed in That, whose Self is That, who are steadfast in That, who have That as their supreme Goal-they attain the state of non-returning, their dirt having been removed by Knowledge.
विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि। शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः॥
vidyāvinayasaṁpanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini | śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ||
The learned ones look with eanimity on a Brahmana endowed with learning and humality, a cow, an elephant and even a dog as well as an eater of dog's meat.
इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः। निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः॥
ihaiva tairjitaḥ sargo yeṣāṁ sāmye sthitaṁ manaḥ | nirdoṣaṁ hi samaṁ brahma tasmādbrahmaṇi te sthitāḥ ||
Here [i.e. even while living in the body.] itself is rirth conered by them whose minds are established on sameness. Since Brahman is the same (in all) and free from defects, therefore they are established in Brahman.
न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम्। स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः॥
na prahṛṣyetpriyaṁ prāpya nodvijetprāpya cāpriyam | sthirabuddhirasammūḍho brahmavidbrahmaṇi sthitaḥ ||
A knower of Brahman, who is established in Brahman, should have his intellect steady and should not be deluded. He should not get delighted by getting what is desirable, nor become dejected by getting what is undesirable.
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्। स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते॥
bāhyasparśeṣvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yatsukham | sa brahmayogayuktātmā sukhamakṣayamaśnute ||
With his heart unattached to external objects, he gets the bliss that is in the Self. With his heart absorbed in meditation on Brahman, he acires undecaying Bliss.
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते। आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः॥
ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkhayonaya eva te | ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ ||
Since enjoyments that result from contact (with objects) are verily the sources of sorrow and have a beginning and an end, (therefore) O son of Kunti, the wise one does not delight in them.
शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्। कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः॥
śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prākśarīravimokṣaṇāt | kāmakrodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ ||
One who can withstand here itself-before departing from the body-the impulse arising from desire and anger, that man is a yogi; he is happy.
योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः। स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति॥
yo'ntaḥsukho'ntarārāmastathāntarjyotireva yaḥ | sa yogī brahmanirvāṇaṁ brahmabhūto'dhigacchati ||
One who is happy within, whose pleasure is within, and who has his light only within, that yogi, having become Brahman, attains absorption in Brahman.
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः। छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः॥
labhante brahmanirvāṇamṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ | chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||
The seers whose sins have been attenuated, who are freed from doubt, whose organs are under control, who are engaged in doing good to all beings, attain absorption in Brahman.
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्। अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्॥
kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yatacetasām | abhito brahmanirvāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām ||
To the monks who have control over their internal organ, who are free from desire and anger, who have known the Self, there is absorption in Brahman either way.
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः। प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ॥
sparśānkṛtvā bahirbāhyāṁścakṣuścaivāntare bhruvoḥ | prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā nāsābhyantaracāriṇau ||
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः। विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः॥
yatendriyamanobuddhirmunirmokṣaparāyaṇaḥ | vigatecchābhayakrodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ ||
-5.28 Keeping the external objects outside, the eyes at the juncture of the eye-brows, and making eal the outgoing and incoming breaths that move through the nostrils, the contemplative who has control over his organs, mind and intellect should be fully intent on Liberation and free from desire, fear and anger. He who is ever is verily free.
भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्। सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति॥
bhoktāraṁ yajñatapasāṁ sarvalokamaheśvaram | suhṛdaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntimṛcchati ||
One attains Peace by knowing Me who, as the great Lord of all the worlds, am the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, (and) who am the friend of all creatures.
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