
VERSE 1
सन्न्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि ।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥
sannyasam karmanam krsna
punar yogam ca samsasi
yac chreya etayor ekam
tan me bruhi su-niscitam
SYNONYMS
arjunaḥ uvāca—Arjuna said; sannyāsam—renunciation; karmaṇām—of all activities; kṛṣṇa—O Kṛṣṇa; punaḥ—again; yogam—devotional service; ca—also; śaṁsasi—You are praising; yat—which; śreyaḥ—is beneficial; etayoḥ—of these two; ekam—one; tat—that; me—unto me; brūhi—please tell; suniścitam—definitely.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, 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?
VERSE 2
सन्न्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसन्न्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥
sannyasah karma-yogas ca
nihsreyasa-karav ubhau
tayos tu karma-sannyasat
karma-yogo visisyate
SYNONYMS
śrī bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; sannyāsaḥ—renunciation of work; karma-yogaḥ—work in devotion; ca—also; niḥśreyasa-karau—all leading to the path of liberation; ubhau—both; tayoḥ—of the two; tu—but; karma-sannyāsāt—in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogaḥ—work in devotion; viśiṣyate—is better.
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord said: 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 works.
VERSE 3
ज्ञेयः स नित्यसन्न्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥
jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate
SYNONYMS
jñeyaḥ—should be known; saḥ—he; nitya—always; sannyāsī—renouncer; yaḥ—who; na—never; dveṣṭi—abhors; na—nor; kāṅkṣati—desires; nirdvandvaḥ—free from all dualities; hi—certainly; mahā-bāho—O mighty-armed one; sukham—happily; bandhāt—from bondage; pramucyate—completely liberated.
TRANSLATION
One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
VERSE 4
साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः ।
एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥
sankhya-yogau prthag balah
pravadanti na panditah
ekam apy asthitah samyag
ubhayor vindate phalam
SYNONYMS
sāṅkhya—analytical study of the material world; yogau—work in devotional service; pṛthak—different; bālāḥ—less intelligent; pravadanti—do talk; na—never; paṇḍitāḥ—the learned; ekam—in one; api—even though; āsthitaḥ—being situated; samyak—complete; ubhayoḥ—of both; vindate—enjoys; phalam—result.
TRANSLATION
Only the ignorant speak of karma-yoga and devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world [sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.
VERSE 5
यत्साङ्ख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्यौगैरपि गम्यते ।
एकं साङ्ख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥
yat sankhyaih prapyate sthanam
tad yogair api gamyate
ekam sankhyam ca yogam ca
yah pasyati sa pasyati
SYNONYMS
yat—what; sāṅkhyaiḥ—by means of sāṅkhya philosophy; prāpyate—is achieved; sthānam—place; tat—that; yogaiḥ—by devotional service; api—also; gamyate—one can attain; ekam—one; sāṅkhyam—analytical study; ca—and; yogam—action in devotion; ca—and; yaḥ—one who; paśyati—sees; saḥ—he; paśyati—actually sees.
TRANSLATION
One who knows that the position reached by means of renunciation can also be attained by works in devotional service and who therefore sees that the path of works and the path of renunciation are one, sees things as they are.
VERSE 6
सन्न्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः ।
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥
sannyasas tu maha-baho
duhkham aptum ayogatah
yoga-yukto munir brahma
na cirenadhigacchati
SYNONYMS
sannyāsaḥ—the renounced order of life; tu—but; mahā-bāho—O mighty-armed one; duḥkham—distress; āptum—to be afflicted with; ayogataḥ—without devotional service; yoga-yuktaḥ—one engaged in devotional service; muniḥ—thinker; brahma—Supreme; na—without; cireṇa—delay; adhigacchati—attains.
TRANSLATION
Unless one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, mere renunciation of activities cannot make one happy. The sages, purified by works of devotion, achieve the Supreme without delay.