Chapter 5.1 Sanyasa Yoga - Slokas 1-17

Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad-Gita is titled “Sannyasa yoga” (“Yoga of Renunciation”). It is also called Karma Sannyasa Yoga. In this chapter, Lord Krishna answers Arjuna’s question as to which yoga is better between Karma Yoga and Sannyasa Yoga. He advises Arjuna as to what kind of attitude he should have while living in this world and also how a person can lose the “ego”. He discusses about “who is responsible for the merits and demerits of a human being’s actions”. He describes the behavior of a “renounced” person when he (she) interacts with the world. Finally, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna what happens to one who practices this “Yoga of Renunciation”.

Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to tell him conclusively as to which one of the following two paths is better:

Sri Krishna answers that the performance of actions and the renunciation of actions both lead to the highest bliss. But, of the two, “the Yoga of action is superior to the Renunciation of action”.

This is a common question that most people have, especially if they are facing a difficult decision in personal or professional life. “Do I toil away in this result-oriented world of high competition or do I run away to a quiet place to meditate and forget the material world?”. Here, Krishna glorifies a person who continues to work without desires (Karma Yogi). This should help Arjuna, who at this stage, is a person with “rajasic” tendency (acting with desires). Arjuna needs to work out his salvation in this world by fulfilling his duty of being a warrior. Then and then only he will be ready for “renouncing” the world.

Lord Krishna calls a person as a “Nithya (permanent) Sanyasi” who neither hates nor desires. He goes on to say that only people with childish minds speak of Samkhya (Knowledge) and (Karma) Yoga as different. A person who is truly established in one obtains the benefits of both. That place that is reached by Samkhyas is also reached by the Karma Yogis. Further, Sri Krishna says that one who understands this principle is really a knowledgeable person.

Lord Krishna warns Arjuna that renunciation (Sannyasa) is hard to obtain without (Karma) Yoga. Once a person is established in Karma Yoga, then that person quickly goes to Brahman by the practice of steady contemplation.

Let us remind ourselves once again, that Arjuna is a soldier and his Dharma is to fight the war that came to him without asking for it. Only when he fulfils his army duties in the manner of a karma yogi, he will be able to quickly progress to meditation and Realize Brahman. This upadesham (advice) by Sri Krishna is directly applicable to all of us who are householders (Grihasthas). Bhagavan Krishna is telling us that we need to work in the field of our duty, without expectation of the results. This type of behavior purifies our mind and we will be ready for the next stages of our spiritual evolution which are “renunciation”, meditation and ultimately Self-Realization.

“He who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is pure, who has conquered the self, who has subdued his senses, who realizes his Self in the Self in all beings, though acting, he’s not tainted.”

When a Karma Yogi continues to act this way, no new mental impressions (Vaasanaas) are formed, previously formed vaasanaas are destroyed and his mind slowly drifts into the stage of renunciation. “Renunciation” is giving up the thought that “I am doing it”. That means, giving up the individual “ego”.

What is then, the attitude of a “renounced” person” in daily life? The answer comes

“The sage centered in the Self thinks, “I do nothing at all” while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, letting go, opening and closing the eyes. He is convinced that the senses move among the sense objects.”

This is the essence of a “renounced person”. He has no association with the ego anymore. He feels one with the Self (God) within him. He has entered into the stage of God-man from being just a man.

“He who does actions offering them to Brahman, abandoning attachment, he is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it”.

This is a glorious sloka in the Bhagavad Gita. The lotus leaf is born in the water, lives in the water and dies in the water but it never lets the water touch it. This is a beautiful simile to describe a “renounced” person. By giving this powerful example, Lord Krishna is advising Arjuna (and us) to live in this world “like the lotus leaf” and act in a “detached” manner while living among people.

The word “detachment” comes frequently in the Bhagavad Gita. It is about time to define it. “Detached” behavior is the opposite of “emotional” attachment. We are advised in our scriptures to love everyone unconditionally without emotional attachment. It is very difficult for most of us to not get emotionally attached to members in our family or close friends. But, with our Guru’s Blessings and God’s Grace, and by regular practice of some detachment, it is achievable as per Lord Krishna.

What is the relationship of God to the actions of a human being? Bhagavan Krishna answers

“The Yogi, having abandoned attachment, performs actions by the body, mind, intellect and senses only for the purification of the Self. He attains peace. The non-yogi is attached to the fruit (results). So, he is bound. The Lord does not create agency (the sense of “I am doing this”) nor action for the world. He does not create union with the fruits of action. Nature does all these.”

“The Lord does not take note of the merit or demerit of any action. This Knowledge is covered by ignorance. So, human beings are deluded.”

This could be humorously called as a “disclaimer” from Bhagavan Krishna. He is not taking responsibility for a human being’s actions or the results of their actions. He is basically telling us that “Whatever you do, you are on your own, buddy. If you develop an “ego”, and act with the “I am doing this” mentality, you will face the consequences of your actions.”

“The burning lamp gives light to everyone. Some use it to cook their food, others for reading sacred books and yet others for forging false documents. The merits and demerits of these different acts do not affect the light coming from the lamp. In the same way, the good and bad deeds do not belong to the Consciousness, which is Iswara (God).” – Sri Ramakrishna

“Shining like the sun, Knowledge reveals the Supreme (God) in them, in whom the ignorance is destroyed by Self-Knowledge.”

“To see the sun, we need no other light. To experience the Self (Atman), we need no other experience. The Self is awareness. It is Consciousness. To become conscious of the Consciousness, we don’t need separate consciousness. Similarly, when the ego rediscovers the Self, it becomes the Self.” - Swami Chinmayananda

“Those who think on That, merge in That, get fixed in That, have That as the goal, they attain to non-return, their taints being dispelled by Knowledge.”

In this sloka, we need to understand, the word That with the capital T means the Atman, the Self. Here, the Lord is assuring us that one who has gained this Self-Knowledge will attain “Moksha” (liberation from the cycle of births and deaths) and will not return to this world. All his (her) actions and the fruits of his (her) actions are burnt in the “Fire of Self-Knowledge”. (Refer to chapter 4)

“Brahman is experienced vaguely through discrimination, somewhat vividly through meditation and in its original splendor in Samadhi”. – Sri Ramakrishna

In the next several slokas, Bhagavan Krishna explains how a Self-Realized Yogi views the outside world, how to overcome this “temporary” existence in this world, why one should stay even minded in opposing conditions, how a person can physically prepare for mental “liberation” from this world of Maya (illusion) and what happens in the end to a person who practices “Sannyasa Yoga.”