Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 5 of 18

Karma Sannyasa Yoga

कर्मसंन्यासयोग — The Yoga of Renunciation · 29 verses

All 29 verses

Sanskrit, transliteration and English meaning for every verse.

1. 5.1 · Arjuna

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

   saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi |
   yacchreya etayorekaṃ tanme brūhi suniścitam ||

   Arjuna said: Krishna, you praise the renunciation of actions, and then again the yoga of action. Tell me with certainty which one of the two is better.

2. 5.2 · Krishna

   संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
   तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥

   saṃnyāsaḥ karmayogaśca niḥśreyasakarāvubhau |
   tayostu karmasaṃnyāsātkarmayogo viśiṣyate ||

   The Lord said: Renunciation and the yoga of action both lead to the highest good; but of the two, the yoga of action is better than the renunciation of action.

3. 5.3 · Krishna

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

   jñeyaḥ sa nityasaṃnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati |
   nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukhaṃ bandhātpramucyate ||

   Know that one who neither hates nor craves is a true renunciant at all times. Free from the pairs of opposites, mighty-armed one, such a person is easily released from bondage.

4. 5.4 · Krishna

   सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः ।
   एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥

   sāṃkhyayogau pṛthagbālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ |
   ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyagubhayorvindate phalam ||

   It is the childish, not the wise, who speak of Sankhya (the path of knowledge) and yoga as separate. One who is truly established in either one gains the fruit of both.

5. 5.5 · Krishna

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

   yatsāṃkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṃ tadyogairapi gamyate |
   ekaṃ sāṃkhyaṃ ca yogaṃ ca yaḥ paśyati sa: paśyati ||

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

6. 5.6 · Krishna

   संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः ।
   योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥

   saṃnyāsastu mahābāho duḥkhamāptumayogataḥ |
   yogayukto munirbrahma nacireṇādhigacchati ||

   But renunciation, mighty-armed one, is hard to attain without yoga. The sage who is disciplined in yoga reaches Brahman before long.

7. 5.7 · Krishna

   योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः ।
   सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥

   yogayukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ |
   sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvannapi na lipyate ||

   Disciplined in yoga, pure in heart, master of self and senses, whose self has become the self of all beings — such a person is not tainted, even while acting.

8. 5.8 · Krishna

   नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ।
   पश्यञ्श्रृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्‌गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् ॥

   naiva kiṃcitkaromīti yukto manyeta tattvavit |
   paśyañśrṛṇvanspṛśañjighrannaśnan‌gacchansvapañśvasan ||

   The disciplined one who knows the truth thinks, “I do nothing at all,” even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping and breathing —

9. 5.9 · Krishna

   प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।
   इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ॥

   pralapanvisṛjangṛhṇannunmiṣannimiṣannapi |
   indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan ||

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

10. 5.10 · Krishna

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

    brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ |
    lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatramivāmbhasā ||

    One who acts by placing all actions in Brahman and giving up attachment is untouched by sin, as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.

11. 5.11 · Krishna

    कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि ।
    योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये ॥

    kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalairindriyairapi |
    yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṃ tyaktvātmaśuddhaye ||

    With the body, the mind, the intellect, or even the senses alone, yogis perform action without attachment, for the purification of the self.

12. 5.12 · Krishna

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

    yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīm |
    ayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate ||

    The disciplined person, giving up the fruit of action, attains abiding peace; the undisciplined, driven by desire and attached to the fruit, is bound.

13. 5.13 · Krishna

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

    sarvakarmāṇi manasā saṃnyasyāste sukhaṃ vaśī |
    navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvanna kārayan ||

    Having renounced all actions with the mind, the self-controlled embodied one dwells at ease in the city of nine gates (the body), neither acting nor causing anything to act.

14. 5.14 · Krishna

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

    na kartṛtvaṃ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ |
    na karmaphalasaṃyogaṃ svabhāvastu pravartate ||

    The Lord does not create agency or actions for the world, nor the link between action and its fruit; it is inherent nature (svabhava) that sets all this in motion.

15. 5.15 · Krishna

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

    nādatte kasyacitpāpaṃ na caiva sukṛtaṃ vibhuḥ |
    ajñānenāvṛtaṃ jñānaṃ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ ||

    The all-pervading one takes on neither anyone’s sin nor anyone’s good deed. Knowledge is veiled by ignorance, and that is why beings are deluded.

16. 5.16 · Krishna

    ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः ।
    तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥

    jñānena tu tadajñānaṃ yeṣāṃ nāśitamātmanaḥ |
    teṣāmādityavajjñānaṃ prakāśayati tatparam ||

    But for those in whom this ignorance has been destroyed by knowledge of the Self, that knowledge, like the sun, lights up the Supreme.

17. 5.17 · Krishna

    तद्‌बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः ।
    गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ॥

    tad‌buddhayastadātmānastanniṣṭhāstatparāyaṇāḥ |
    gacchantyapunarāvṛttiṃ jñānanirdhūtakalmaṣāḥ ||

    With their intellect fixed on that, their self merged in that, grounded in that and wholly devoted to it, their impurities washed away by knowledge, they reach the state from which there is no return.

18. 5.18 · Krishna · key verse

    विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि ।
    शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ॥

    vidyāvinayasampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini |
    śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ||

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

19. 5.19 · Krishna

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

    ihaiva tairjitaḥ sargo yeṣāṃ sāmye sthitaṃ manaḥ |
    nirdoṣaṃ hi samaṃ brahma tasmādbrahmaṇi te sthitāḥ ||

    Even here in this life, rebirth is overcome by those whose mind rests in evenness. Brahman is flawless and the same in all; so they are established in Brahman.

20. 5.20 · Krishna

    न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् ।
    स्थिरबुद्धिरसंमूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ॥

    na prahṛṣyetpriyaṃ prāpya nodvijetprāpya cāpriyam |
    sthirabuddhirasaṃmūḍho brahmavidbrahmaṇi sthitaḥ ||

    One who knows Brahman and abides in Brahman, steady in understanding and free from delusion, neither rejoices at gaining what is pleasant nor shrinks at meeting what is unpleasant.

21. 5.21 · Krishna

    बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत् सुखम् ।
    स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते ॥

    bāhyasparśeṣvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham |
    sa brahmayogayuktātmā sukhamakṣayamaśnute ||

    One who is unattached to outer contacts finds the happiness that lies within the Self; joined to Brahman through yoga, such a person enjoys a happiness that never fades.

22. 5.22 · Krishna

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

    ye hi saṃsparśajā bhogā duḥkhayonaya eva te |
    ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ ||

    The pleasures born of contact are nothing but sources of sorrow; they have a beginning and an end, son of Kunti, and the wise take no delight in them.

23. 5.23 · Krishna

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

    śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṃ prākśarīravimokṣaṇāt |
    kāmakrodhodbhavaṃ vegaṃ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ ||

    One who can withstand the surge of desire and anger here in this life, before leaving the body, is disciplined; that person is truly happy.

24. 5.24 · Krishna

    योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः ।
    स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति ॥

    yo’ntaḥsukho’ntarārāmastathāntarjyotireva yaḥ |
    sa yogī brahmanirvāṇaṃ brahmabhūto’dhigacchati ||

    One whose happiness is within, whose delight is within, and whose light is within — that yogi, having become one with Brahman, attains the peace of Brahman (brahma-nirvana).

25. 5.25 · Krishna

    लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः ।
    छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥

    labhante brahmanirvāṇamṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ |
    chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||

    Seers whose impurities are worn away, whose doubts are cut through, who are self-controlled and rejoice in the welfare of all beings, attain the peace of Brahman.

26. 5.26 · Krishna

    कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।
    अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ॥

    kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṃ yatīnāṃ yatacetasām |
    abhito brahmanirvāṇaṃ vartate viditātmanām ||

    For ascetics freed from desire and anger, who have mastered their minds and know the Self, the peace of Brahman lies close at hand on every side.

27. 5.27 · Krishna

    स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः ।
    प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ॥

    sparśānkṛtvā bahirbāhyāṃścakṣuścaivāntare bhruvoḥ |
    prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā nāsābhyantaracāriṇau ||

    Shutting out external contacts, fixing the gaze between the brows, and evening out the in-breath and out-breath as they move within the nostrils —

28. 5.28 · Krishna

    यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः ।
    विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः ॥

    yatendriyamanobuddhirmunirmokṣaparāyaṇaḥ |
    vigatecchābhayakrodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ ||

    — the sage whose senses, mind and intellect are restrained, who is intent on liberation and has left behind desire, fear and anger, is free forever.

29. 5.29 · Krishna

    भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
    सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥

    bhoktāraṃ yajñatapasāṃ sarvalokamaheśvaram |
    suhṛdaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jñātvā māṃ śāntimṛcchati ||

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