CHAPTER 5: True Renunciation
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arjunah uvaca -- Arjuna said; sannyasam -- renunciation; karmanam -- of all activities; krsna -- O Krishna; punah -- again; yogam -- devotional service; ca -- also; samsasi -- You are praising; yat -- which; sreyah -- is more beneficial; etayoh -- of these two; ekam -- one; tat -- that; me -- unto me; bruhi -- please tell; su-niscitam -- definitely.

Arjuna said: O Krishna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Personality of Godhead said; sannyasah -- renunciation of work; karma-yogah -- work in devotion; ca -- also; nihsreyasa-karau -- leading to the path of liberation; ubhau -- both; tayoh -- of the two; tu -- but; karma-sannyasat -- in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogah -- work in devotion; visisyate -- is better.

The Supreme replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work.

jneyah -- should be known; sah -- he; nitya -- always; sannyasi -- renouncer; yah -- who; na -- never; dvesti -- abhors; na -- nor; kanksati -- desires; nirdvandvah -- free from all dualities; hi -- certainly; maha-baho -- O mighty-armed one; sukham -- happily; bandhat -- from bondage; pramucyate -- is completely liberated.

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

sankhya -- analytical study of the material world; yogau -- work in devotional service; prthak -- different; balah -- the less intelligent; pravadanti -- say; na -- never; panditah -- the learned; ekam -- in one; api -- even; asthitah -- being situated; samyak -- complete; ubhayoh -- of both; vindate -- enjoys; phalam -- the result.

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sankhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

yat -- what; sankhyaih -- by means of Sankhya philosophy; prapyate -- is achieved; sthanam -- place; tat -- that; yogaih -- by devotional service; api -- also; gamyate -- one can attain; ekam -- one; sankhyam -- analytical study; ca -- and; yogam -- action in devotion; ca -- and; yah -- one who; pasyati -- sees; sah -- he; pasyati -- actually sees.

One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.

sannyasah -- the renounced order of life; tu -- but; maha-baho -- O mighty-armed one; duhkham -- distress; aptum -- afflicts one with; ayogatah -- without devotional service; yoga-yuktah -- one engaged in devotional service; munih -- a thinker; brahma -- the Supreme; na cirena -- without delay; adhigacchati -- attains.

Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay.

yoga-yuktah -- engaged in devotional service; visuddha-atma -- a purified soul; vijita-atma -- self-controlled; jita-indriyah -- having conquered the senses; sarva-bhuta -- to all living entities; atma-bhuta-atma -- compassionate; kurvan api -- although engaged in work; na -- never; lipyate -- is entangled.

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

na -- never; eva -- certainly; kincit -- anything; karomi -- I do; iti -- thus; yuktah -- engaged in the divine consciousness; manyeta -- thinks; tattva-vit -- one who knows the truth; pasyan -- seeing; srn van -- hearing; sprsan -- touching; jighran -- smelling; asnan -- eating; gacchan -- going; svapan -- dreaming; svasan -- breathing; pralapan -- talking; visrjan -- giving up; grhnan -- accepting; unmisan -- opening; nimisan -- closing; api -- in spite of; indriyani -- the senses; indriya-arthesu -- in sense gratification; vartante -- let them be so engaged; iti -- thus; dharayan -- considering.

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

brahmani -- unto The Supreme; adhaya -- resigning; karmani -- all works; sangam -- attachment; tyaktva -- giving up; karoti -- performs; yah -- who; lipyate -- is affected; na -- never; sah -- he; papena -- by sin; padma-patram -- a lotus leaf; iva -- like; ambhasa -- by the water.

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

kayena -- with the body; manasa -- with the mind; buddhya -- with the intelligence; kevalaih -- purified; indriyaih -- with the senses; api -- even; yoginah -- spiritually conscious persons; karma -- actions; kurvanti -- they perform; sangam -- attachment; tyaktva -- giving up; atma -- of the self; suddhaye -- for the purpose of purification.

The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

yuktah -- one who is engaged in devotional service; karma-phalam -- the results of all activities; tyaktva -- giving up; santimn -- perfect peace; apnoti -- achieves; naisthikim -- unflinching; ayuktah -- one who is not devoted; kama-karena -- for enjoying the result of work; phale -- in the result; saktah -- attached; nibadhyate -- becomes entangled.

The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.

sarva -- all; karmani -- activities; manasa -- by the mind; sannyasya -- giving up; aste -- remains; sukham -- in happiness; vasi -- one who is controlled; nava-dvare -- in the place where there are nine gates; pure -- in the city; dehi -- the embodied soul; na -- never; eva -- certainly; kurvan -- doing anything; na -- not; karayan -- causing to be done.

When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

na -- never; kartrtvam -- proprietorship; na -- nor; karmani -- activities; lokasya -- of the people; srjati -- creates; prabhuh -- the master of the city of the body; na -- nor; karma-phala -- with the results of activities; samyogam -- connection; svabhavah -- the modes of material nature; tu -- but; pravartate -- act.

The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.

na -- never; adatte -- accepts; kasyacit -- anyone's; papam -- sin; na -- nor; ca -- also; eva -- certainly; su-krtam -- pious activities; vibhuh -- the Supreme Lord; ajnanena -- by ignorance; avrtam -- covered; jnanam -- knowledge; tena -- by that; muhyanti -- are bewildered; jantavah -- the living entities.

Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone's sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge.

jnanena -- by knowledge; tu -- but; tat -- that; ajnanam -- nescience; yesam -- whose; nasitam -- is destroyed; atmanah -- of the living entity; tesam -- their; aditya-vat -- like the rising sun; jnanam -- knowledge; prakasayati -- discloses; tat param -- God realisation

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

tat-buddhayah -- those whose intelligence is always in the Supreme; tat-atmanah -- those whose minds are always in the Supreme; tat-nisthah -- those whose faith is only meant for the Supreme; tat-parayanah -- who have completely taken shelter of Him; gacchanti -- go; apunah-avrttim -- to liberation; jnana -- by knowledge; nirdhuta -- cleansed; kalmasah -- misgivings.

When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

vidya -- with education; vinaya -- and gentleness; sampanne -- fully equipped; brahmane -- in the brahmana; gavi -- in the cow; hastini -- in the elephant; suni -- in the dog; ca -- and; eva -- certainly; sva-pake -- in the dog-eater (the outcaste); ca -- respectively; panditah -- those who are wise; sama-darsinah -- who see with equal vision.

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].

iha -- in this life; eva -- certainly; taih -- by them; jitah -- conquered; sargah -- birth and death; yesam -- whose; samye -- in equanimity; sthitam -- situated; manah -- mind; nirdosam -- flawless; hi -- certainly; samam -- in equanimity; brahma -- like the Supreme; tasmat -- therefore; brahmani -- in the Supreme; te -- they; sthitah -- are situated.

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.

na -- never; prahrsyet -- rejoices; priyam -- the pleasant; prapya -- achieving; na -- does not; udvijet -- become agitated; prapya -- obtaining; ca -- also; apriyam -- the unpleasant; sthira-buddhih -- self-intelligent; asammudhah -- unbewildered; brahma-vit -- one who knows the Supreme perfectly; brahmani -- in the transcendence; sthitah -- situated.

A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is already situated in transcendence.

bahya-sparsesu -- in external sense pleasure; asakta-atma -- one who is not attached; vindati -- enjoys; atmani -- in the self; yat -- that which; sukham -- happiness; sah -- he; brahma-yoga -- by concentration in Brahman; yukta-atma -- self-connected; sukham -- happiness; aksayam -- unlimited; asnute -- enjoys.

Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.

ye -- those; hi -- certainly; samsparsa-jah -- by contact with the material senses; bhogah -- enjoyments; duhkha -- distress; yonayah -- sources of; eva -- certainly; te -- they are; adi -- beginning; anta -- end; vantah -- subject to; kaunteya -- O son of Kunti; na -- never; tesu -- in those; ramate -- takes delight; budhah -- the intelligent person.

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.

saknoti -- is able; iha eva -- in the present body; yah -- one who; sodhum -- to tolerate; prak -- before; sarira -- the body; vimoksanat -- giving up; kama -- desire; krodha -- and anger; udbhavam -- generated from; vegam -- urges; sah -- he; yuktah -- in trance; sah -- he; sukhi -- happy; narah -- human being.

Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world.

yah -- one who; antah-sukhah -- happy from within; antah-aramah -- actively enjoying within; tatha -- as well as; antah-jyotih -- aiming within; eva -- certainly; yah -- anyone; sah -- he; yogi -- a mystic; brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the Supreme; brahma-bhutah -- being self-realized; adhigacchati -- attains.

One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.

labhante -- achieve; brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the Supreme; rsayah -- those who are active within; ksina-kalmasah -- who are devoid of all sins; chinna -- having torn off; dvaidhah -- duality; yata-atmanah -- engaged in self-realization; sarva-bhuta -- for all living entities; hite -- in welfare work; ratah -- engaged.

Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings, and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.

kama -- from desires; krodha -- and anger; vimuktanam -- of those who are liberated; yatinam -- of the saintly persons; yata-cetasam -- who have full control over the mind; abhitah -- assured in the near future; brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the Supreme; vartate -- is there; vidita-atmanam -- of those who are self-realized.

Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

sparsan -- sense objects, such as sound; krtva -- keeping; bahih -- external; bahyan -- unnecessary; caksuh -- eyes; ca -- also; eva -- certainly; antare -- between; bhruvoh -- the eyebrows; prana-apanau -- up-and down-moving air; samau -- in suspension; krtva -- keeping; nasa-abhyantara -- within the nostrils; carinau -- blowing; yata -- controlled; indriya -- senses; manah -- mind; buddhih -- intelligence; munih -- the transcendentalist; moksa -- for liberation; parayanah -- being so destined; vigata -- having discarded; iccha -- wishes; bhaya -- fear; krodhah -- anger; yah -- one who; sada -- always; muktah -- liberated; eva -- certainly; sah -- he is.

Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.

bhoktaram -- the beneficiary; yajna -- of sacrifices; tapasam -- and penances and austerities; sarva-loka -- of all planets and the demigods thereof; maha-isvaram -- the Supreme Lord; su-hrdam -- the benefactor; sarva -- of all; bhutanam -- the living entities; jnatva -- thus knowing; mam -- Me (Lord Krishna); santim -- relief from material pangs; rcchati -- one achieves.

A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.