Bhagavad Gita 5th Chapter

Bhagavad-Gita Fifth Chapter

The Meaning of Renunciation:

Balancing Ethics and Knowledge

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

Renunciation or Exploitation?

What’s the difference between renouncing the fruits of action and renouncing action itself? If the karmic world of exploitation is so terrible, what about renunciation? In the previous chapters, Kṛṣṇa has explained karma-yoga, or acting in detachment, as well as jñāna-yoga, or transcendental knowledge. He has explained that when the self acts with spiritual knowledge, action becomes sacrifice and dedication.

While it may appear that Kṛṣṇa is explaining a number of different paths, His thesis all along is about how self-knowledge leads to divine love. Ethical sacrifice, meditation, and yoga are all means to achieve this end. While Kṛṣṇa has explained the nature of karma and transcendental knowledge, Arjuna has been listening, but still he is unclear in his understanding. Kṛṣṇa has spoken of giving up the fruits of action in sacrifice. And at the same time he speaks of the eternal soul. It appears he is speaking equivocally.

We should not judge Arjuna too harshly for his inability to grasp Kṛṣṇa’s explanation. After all, there is something quite revolutionary even today about the idea of working with detachment. These days everything we do is monetized. It is hard to believe that work might be done without expecting something in exchange. In the era of constant networks, even our social interactions are measured and assessed for financial gain. And yet artists and musicians know that their best work is not done for monetary gain, but with creative autonomy and detachment from the results. A great composer or painter creates a masterpiece in the flash of inspiration without thinking of the money and expected from his creative process. In fact it may be argued that art, music, even religion, politics and human affairs in general is corrupted by the constant expectation of reward.

Kṛṣṇa is telling Arjuna that a true understanding of dharma, of human ethics must be guided by nonattachment to the results of work. Instead of constantly petitioning God for good results, we are to give up the idea of result-getting altogether. Instead of working for profit, we are to dedicate our work to divinity in the first place. This is very different from the “ends justify the means” mentality that has driven the West since the time of Machiavelli. Here, the “means” themselves are purified through nonattachment.

Perhaps this is what puzzles Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa has explained an idea which is beautiful in its simplicity. Knowing ourselves to be spiritual in nature, sparks of the Supreme Spirit, we should do our work as sacrifice and gradually discover the principle of divine love. This will purify us both in this life and the next. Since our karma is not self-interested it will generate no reaction. The yogas of karma and jñāna converge in “work-as-sacrifice-with faith.”

But Arjuna wants to put each of these yogas in a different box. The way of knowledge seems to be one idea--the way of work and karma appears to be in conflict. How can the two be the same path? Kṛṣṇa has given importance to both transcendental knowledge of the self and action in sacrifice. But Arjuna sees each system quite differently. There is karma-yoga and then there is jñāna-yoga. How are they to be reconciled?

Arjuna is not the only one who has some serious doubts. Many commentators on the Gita wrestle with these different ideas. Then again, Kṛṣṇa speaks of self-sacrifice, self-sacrifice implies renunciation or sannyāsa. If our duty to society and family is superficial, why not merely renounce all duties as superficial? What has a warrior’s violence to do with self-realization? If self-realization is so important, then why should he fight at all? Wouldn’t it be better for him to renounce everything and go off into the forest as a yogi? The Fifth Chapter is called sannyāsa-yoga, since Kṛṣṇa goes to greater lengths to define terms and describe how exactly one can dovetail one’s actions in sacrifice without renouncing action itself.

Arjuna’s doubt goes like this: If karma creates reactions, why not simply stop karma by giving up all action? We can become karma-free through renunciation and passivity. The sages in the forest have dedicated their lives to contemplation. Why not follow their lead? What is the point of so much struggle? Arjuna is willing to lay down his arms and renounce the battlefield. Of course, we may keep in mind that while Arjuna’s battle is heroic, we are also involved in a kind of battle-the struggle for existence. Why shouldn’t inaction and passivity be our best option?

Kṛṣṇa has said we should act, but with detachment for the fruits of action. But Arjuna is perplexed. He asks Kṛṣṇa which is the best path, karma or jñāna, but his question overlooks the fact that Kṛṣṇa has already examined both systems and given a synthesis of the two--when karma is done unselfishly, in sacrifice, and enlightened by jñāna, such ethical action and enlightened thinking lead to liberation. He will answer Arjuna again, taking great pains to explain more carefully.

We must remember in reading the text that Arjuna is surrounded by warriors and the dust of the battlefield and may not understand everything perfectly; then again, his doubt may be a device in the dialogue to get us to think these things through more clearly ourselves. Arjuna asked: “O Kṛṣṇa, you have spoken of renouncing work (sannyāsa-karma) and of work performed as yoga (karma-yoga). Which is better?”

And Bhagavan said: Both are good. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of works. You see, Arjuna, real sannyāsa-karma or renunciation means that one neither hates nor desires the results of his karma. Freed from such dualities, one becomes released from material bondage. Those who are not learned consider karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga or sankhya analysis to be completely distinct. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. That is, one who understands his true spiritual position through knowledge will act accordingly. A learned man knows that the sacrifice realized through renunciation of karma and the detachment attained through dedication of karma are the same.

Sacrifice and renunciation are similar. They lead to the same path, that of dedication.

In this sense, there is no real difference between sannyāsa-karma and karma-yoga, while they have a different outward appearance. He is truly learned who sees that the so-called “path of works” and the path of “renunciation” are ultimately the same path. There is no difference between giving up action in sacrifice and sacrificing all action in sannyāsa. But different men are destined for different paths.

“On the other hand, without the spirit of true sacrifice, one can never be happy merely by giving up action. Dry renunciation is another false path. On the other hand, one who lives in self-sacrifice and dedication to the divine realizes the spirit. In this way, the saints whose lives are made pure by works of devotion, quickly realize the Supreme Spirit. Anyone who works in devotion as a pure soul, controlling mind and senses, is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him.

Even though they are always engaged in work--what seems to be karma--such a one is never ensnared by karma.

“Even while he is eating or sleeping, seeing and hearing, moving about and breathing, or whatever he does--such a soul does nothing at all. There is no karma there at all! Because even while acting, he is absorbed in divine consciousness; He knows that only the senses are engaged with their objects. He is aloof from them. He is not of the marketplace even while being in the marketplace. One who acts in this way, does his karma with detachment. He surrenders the results to God, as he is guided by guru. Such a soul is nor more touched by sin just than a lotus leaf is touched by water while resting upon it.

In this way, those who practice karma-yoga as we have explained it, give up attachment. It is unnecessary for them to renounce the world entirely since they act with body, mind, intelligence, and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification and absorption in divine service.

Kṛṣṇa again returns to the idea of dedication in bhakti. While different commentators try to show that Kṛṣṇa is advocating a myriad of different paths, He is really sticking to one point. 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. 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.

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. God Himself is above all this. He never takes on anyone's sinful or pious activities.

Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge. One who is illuminated with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, will find that his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. 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.

The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog or a dog-eating outcaste. 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.

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

Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure or external objects 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.

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.

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 a yogi and is happy in this world.

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

One who is beyond duality and doubt, whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings, and who is free from all sins, achieves liberation in the Supreme.

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.

Since you are interested in how meditation is performed, allow me to enlighten you:

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—thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the tranecendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.

But keep in mind that, the sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.

What he doesn’t understand is that while Krishna’s message is universal its application may differ according to one’s ability or level of consciousness.

Society may be divided into different classes of men and women according to their qualification. Some men and women qualify as intellectuals and professionals, others as leaders and organizers. Some people are best as entrepreneurs and businessmen.

And then, there are those who function well in the service industry or in production in the manufacture of goods. These social divisions are also referred to in the Bhagavad-Gita.

One’s path of self-realization may be qualified by his position within society. While we are all equal in spirit, as a practical matter we have different capacities for self-realization.

Generally speaking, it isn’t good advice to tell a family man with many responsibilities to give up his material life and walk the path of renunciation. Not everyone has the same vocation for spiritual practice.

The universal message of sacrifice and dedication must be fine tuned for the individual according to his personal level of consciousness as well as his place in society. And so, Krishna says, it is not fit for Arjuna to renounce the world. Renunciation in yoga practice is not for everyone. What is best for Arjuna, Krishna says, is to do his duty as a warrior.

Each of us has our own pathway to truth; it is not proper for us to give up the path which is suited for us for another more dangerous path. One who follows another’s path is destined for ruin. The yoga of renunciation is improper for Arjuna, since his work, his karma, and his duty, his Dharma, is of a more passionate nature. After all he is a warrior both by birth and training. Those of the more gentle and intellectual nature, the brahmanas and sages, wandering Saints and mystic yogis of the Vedic age can take the path of renunciation. They are more given to self abnegation by nature. Gentle and saintly souls can lead a life of quiet contemplation; Arjuna is better suited for combat and competition. His heart yearns for contests at arms. He is not suited for the contemplative life of a mystic yogi. But he can reach the same goal through self-dedication by karma yoga. Krishna explains that it is not action itself that must be renounced, but attachment to its results. It is better to sacrifice the results of our work to a higher power. One must understand that both work and its results are temporary. And so real sannyasa or renunciation consists in giving up our attachment to the results of work.

One must strive for perfection, sacrificing the results of our work to a higher power. Krishna says that "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."

At the beginning of the Sixth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa reiterates his idea that true renunciation means proper enlightened action, when he says, "One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic: not he who lights no fire and performs no work."

अर्जुन उवाच

संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर् योगं च शंससि

यच् छ्रेय एतयोर् एकं तन् मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ५.१

श्रीभगवान् उवाच

संन्यासः कर्मयोगश् च निःश्रेयसकराव् उभौ

तयोस् तु कर्मसंन्यासात् कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ५.२

ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति

निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात् प्रमुच्यते

५.३

सांख्ययोगौ पृथग् बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः

एकम् अप्य् आस्थितः सम्यग् उभयोर् विन्दते फलम्

५.४

यत् सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद् योगैर् अपि

गम्यते

एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति ५.५

संन्यासस् तु महाबाहो दुःखम् आप्तुम् अयोगतः

योगयुक्तो मुनिर् ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ५.६

योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः

सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्न् अपि न लिप्यते ५.७

नैव किंचित् करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्

पश्यञ् शृण्वन् स्पृशञ् जिघ्रन्न् अश्नन् गच्छन् स्वपञ्

श्वसन् ५.८

प्रलपन् विसृजन् गृह्णन्न् उन्मिषन् निमिषन्न् अपि

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ५.९

ब्रह्मण्य् आधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः

लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रम् इवाम्भसा ५.१०

कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैर् इन्द्रियैर् अपि

योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये

५.११

युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिम् आप्नोति

नैष्ठिकीम्

अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ५.१२

सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी

नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन् न कारयन् ५.१३

न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः

न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस् तु प्रवर्तते ५.१४

नादत्ते कस्यचित् पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः

अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः ५.१५

ज्ञानेन तु तद् अज्ञानं येषां नाशितम् आत्मनः

तेषाम् आदित्यवज् ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत् परम् ५.१६

तद्बुद्धयस् तदात्मानस् तन्निष्ठास् तत्परायणाः

गच्छन्त्य् अपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ५.१७

विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि

शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ५.१८

इहैव तैर् जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः

निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मणि ते

स्थिताः ५.१९

न प्रहृष्येत् प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत् प्राप्य चाप्रियम्

स्थिरबुद्धिर् असंमूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि

स्थितः ५.२०

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्व् असक्तात्मा विन्दत्य् आत्मनि यत् सुखम्

स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखम् अक्षयम् अश्नुते ५.२१

ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते

आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः ५.२२

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक् शरीरविमोक्षणात्

कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः

५.२३

योन्तःसुखोन्तरारामस् तथान्तर्ज्योतिर् एव यः

स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोधिगच्छति ५.२४

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् ऋषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः

छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ५.२५

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्

अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ५.२६

स्पर्शान् कृत्वा बहिर् बाह्यांश् चक्षुश् चैवान्तरे

भ्रुवोः

प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ५.२७

यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर् मोक्षपरायणः

विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः ५.२८

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्

सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिम् ऋच्छति

५.२९

अथ षष्ठोध्यायः. (आत्मसंयमयोगः)

arjuna uvāca

saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṃ ca śaṃsasi

yac chreya etayor ekaṃ tan me brūhi suniścitam 5.1

śrībhagavān uvāca

saṃnyāsaḥ karmayogaś ca niḥśreyasakarāv ubhau tayos

tu karmasaṃnyāsāt karmayogo viśiṣyate 5.2

jñeyaḥ sa nityasaṃnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati

nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukhaṃ bandhāt pramucyate 5.3

sāṃkhyayogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ

ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam 5.4

yat sāṃkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṃ tad yogair api gamyate

ekaṃ sāṃkhyaṃ ca yogaṃ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati 5.5

saṃnyāsas tu mahābāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ

yogayukto munir brahma nacireṇādhigacchati 5.6

yogayukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ

sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvann api na lipyate 5.7

naiva kiṃcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattvavit

paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan 5.8

pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api

indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan 5.9

brahmaṇy ādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ

lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatram ivāmbhasā 5.10

kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api

yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṃ tyaktvātmaśuddhaye 5.11

yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā śāntim āpnoti naiṣṭhikīm

ayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate 5.12

sarvakarmāṇi manasā saṃnyasyāste sukhaṃ

vaśī navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvan na kārayan 5.13

na kartṛtvaṃ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ

na karmaphalasaṃyogaṃ svabhāvas tu pravartate 5.14

nādatte kasyacit pāpaṃ na caiva sukṛtaṃ vibhuḥ

ajñānenāvṛtaṃ jñānaṃ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ 5.15

jñānena tu tad ajñānaṃ yeṣāṃ nāśitam ātmanaḥ

teṣām ādityavaj jñānaṃ prakāśayati tat param 5.16

tadbuddhayas tadātmānas tanniṣṭhās tatparāyaṇāḥ

gacchanty apunarāvṛttiṃ jñānanirdhūtakalmaṣāḥ 5.17

vidyāvinayasaṃpanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ 5.18

ihaiva tair jitaḥ sargo yeṣāṃ sāmye sthitaṃ manaḥ

nirdoṣaṃ hi samaṃ brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāḥ 5.19

na prahṛṣyet priyaṃ prāpya nodvijet prāpya cāpriyam

sthirabuddhir asaṃmūḍho brahmavid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ 5.20

bāhyasparśeṣv asaktātmā vindaty ātmani yat sukham

sa brahmayogayuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute 5.21

ye hi saṃsparśajā bhogā duḥkhayonaya eva te

ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ 5.22

śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṃ prāk śarīravimokṣaṇāt

kāmakrodhodbhavaṃ vegaṃ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ 5.23

yontaḥsukhontarārāmas tathāntarjyotir eva yaḥ

sa yogī brahmanirvāṇaṃ brahmabhūtodhigacchati 5.24

labhante brahmanirvāṇam ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ

chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ 5.25

kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṃ yatīnāṃ yatacetasām

abhito brahmanirvāṇaṃ vartate viditātmanām 5.26

sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṃś cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ

prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā nāsābhyantaracāriṇau 5.27

yatendriyamanobuddhirmunir mokṣaparāyaṇaḥ

vigatecchābhayakrodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ 5.28

bhoktāraṃ yajñatapasāṃ sarvalokamaheśvaram

suhṛdaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jñātvā māṃ śāntim ṛcchati 5.29