यं सन्न्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।
न ह्यसन्न्यस्त सङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ।। ६.२ ।।

yaṃ sannyāsam-iti prāhur-yogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava |
na hy-asannyasta saṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ||6.2।।

True Spirit of Sannyasa

Pointing out this great fact, nay principle, Krishna declares that mere retirement or renunciation of the ritualistic practices (niragnih), or abandonment of domestic, social and worldly activities (akriyah), will not entitle one to true sannyasa. Such a step, he says, is but physical, in the bodily level, and is not likely to have its desired bearing on the mind. If the spirit and purpose of sannyasa have to be gained, it is imperative to proceed with the necessary introspection and sublimation, without relinquishing regular life and activities that life demands. Let the focus be on the mind, and the intellect. For, it is the mind and the intellect alone that have to verily strive to attain the enrichment of renunciation, in the true sense of the term. Krishna speaks more on this in the subsequent verses:

Whatever others speak of as sannyasa (renunciation), know that to be verily yoga alone. For, without eschewing desires and sankalpas (desire-motivated-deliberations), none can hope to be a yogi in truth.

This is a very subtle but clear statement. By the word ‘sannyasa’, people generally have the fourth order or stage of life in mind. But Krishna wants to make it clear that ‘sannyasa’ implies a distinct ideal to be pursued. Ascetics do their austere pursuits with a view to achieve the real sannyasa in their mind and intelligence. That inner mental attainment is no other than the yogic enrichment, Krishna has been expounding right from the 2nd chapter.

For karma-yoga to be wholesome and functional, the seeker has to renounce and lay at rest all his desires and desire based sankalpas. Without renouncing such sankalpas (asannyasta-sankalpah), none can hope to become a yogi. As long as sankalpas fill the mind, the mind will be in a state of tension and oscillation. The oscillation of the mind and intelligence (sruti-vipratipanna-buddhih – 2.53) should be set at rest. This is a point Krishna has been emphasizing all along.

So, in the very pursuit of karma-yoga is implied the scope and content of sannyasa. No real seeker can afford to ignore this fact.