श्रीभगवानुवाच -
सन्न्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसन्न्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ।। ५.२ ।।

śrī-bhagavān uvāca -
sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś-ca niḥśreyasa-karāv-ubhau |
tayos-tu karma-sannyāsāt-karma-yogo viśiṣyate || 5.2 ||

Karma-yoga and sannyasa

Both renunciation and yoga bring about nihsreyas (supreme felicity). But, of the two, Karma-yoga is better and more felicitous. It excels renunciation of action.

Krishna’s reply as well as clarification are aimed first at the questioner’s mind, his psychology, and then alone at his intelligence. Any doubting mind should not be disowned or discouraged. It should be acknowledged heartily and then alone its doubts dispelled through discussion and reasoning.

Krishna did not prescribe for Arjuna anything like a renunciational step. On the other hand, his intention was to dissuade Arjuna from the thought of any such abandonment. He describes renunciation as one pursuit, and yoga as just another. Sannyasa (renunciation) and karmayoga (performing karma with the yoga outlook) are the two paths he presents. Both, says Krishna, are effective and will bring about the desired outcome – the ultimate felicity.

Renunciation has been a paramount feature of our culture. In fact, sannyasa is not merely for the seekers, but is also for the afflicted. Whenever a misfortune, calamity or danger, for which no plausible means of redress is found, assails one, then the victim has the option to take to renunciation. He can leave home and wander about, taking to alms for preserving his body. As a result, the whole impact of adversity subsides and the mind becomes light, calm and clear.

People suffering from incurable diseases, financial and other distresses, afflictions of various kinds, threat to life and the like are given the scriptural sanction to take up sannyasa. The renunciation in their cases does not imply a full-fledged spiritual seeking. It is only as a redress for whatever they are suffering from. Graced by the sublime effects of such renunciation, the votaries do derive the desired redress and redemption.

Such a step is called ‘apat-sannyasa’ – embracing sannyasa in extreme danger or distress. The great Sankara’s life is a striking instance of apatsannyasa, as far as his mother’s consent is concerned. When a crocodile caught his leg in Poorna river, where he went for a bath along with his mother, young Sankara cried out to his mother, “At least now, just before the moment of death, will you not give me your permission for sannyasa? Let me have at least this satisfaction that I have got my mother’s consent just before life forces leave my body.” The mother had no choice. In any way she was to lose her son. She shouted, “Yes, you may take up sannyasa. My consent is fully there.” And in the next few minutes, Sankara was swimming to the shore joyfully. The crocodile disappeared, leaving the young son free.

The co-existence of Earth and Water resulted in a timely conspiracy of Providence, and it did the miracle of saving Sankara, though for fulfilling Its own hidden purpose. Sankara came back alive. The mother had no option except to see and help her son embrace the monastic life. She witnessed the scene with full tears.

So, Krishna cannot denounce or devalue the hallowed path of sannyasa. He can at best stress the purity and safeguards necessary for taking up the pursuit. He can also extend the unique benefits of sannyasa to those who are unable to take up such an exclusive path. That is what he did by presenting the Bhagavad Gita gospel to Arjuna.

In fact, Krishna states clearly that yoga-sadhana, on attaining fruition, will lead the seeker to the inevitable next step called para-jnana-nishta, a full description of which is given in the 18th chapter (18.50-53). The disciplines and restraints he lays down there refer to sannyasa, renunciation. But this comes as a finale of the seeker’s and knower’s life.

There is no ambiguity in the matter. The question is merely who is ripe enough to adopt sannyasa and when. Can the seeker proceed with wisdom and caution, to avoid pitfalls and undue hardship and disharmony? Here now Krishna is faced with the task of answering Arjuna, to remove his doubt and give him clarity and right vision without confusing matters. Krishna’s answer is meant to fulfill this immediate aim:

“Though sannyasa and yoga are equally conducive to sreyas, karmayoga is, in general, better than and superior to karma sannyasa” – this is the first statement Krishna makes. He then explains why he says so and what the facts that substantiate and uphold his opinion are.

For those who regard Krishna as God incarnate, an avatara, this should be an eye opener. In Hindu dharma there is nothing that goes without sufficient reason. In fact, the effort of Hindu thinkers has always been to understand Nature, the complexity and the abstruseness of Truth, and then to look at everything in that light. Intelligence, given to knowledge, has the singular role of probing into matters and guided by observation and inference, reach at whatever level of understanding the process will lead to. To evolve more and more efficient reasoning, as a result of which the probe and discovery become authentic and beneficial, has been the distinct note of all our religio-spiritual thinking

Krishna’s advice cannot be any exception to this fundamental note. He thus shows how the proper pursuit of karma-yoga enfolds the content and sublimity of sannyasa also.