BHAGAVAD-GITA 5:2

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 5:2

 

sri-bhagavan uvaca

sannyasah karma-yogas ca

nihsreyasa-karav ubhau

tayos tu karma-sannyasat

karma-yogo visisyate

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said;

sannyasah--renunciation of work; karma-yogah--work in devotion;

ca--also; nihsreyasa-karau--leading to the path of liberation;

ubhau--both; tayoh--of the two; tu--but; karma-sannyasat--in

comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogah--work in

devotion; visisyate--is better.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Personality of Godhead replied: 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 work.

 

PURPORT

 

Fruitive activities (seeking sense gratification) are cause for

material bondage. As long as one is engaged in activities aimed at

improving the standard of bodily comfort, one is sure to transmigrate

to different types of bodies, thereby continuing material bondage

perpetually. Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.4-6) confirms this as follows:

 

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma

yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam

asann api klesa-da asa dehah

 

parabhavas tavad abodha-jato

yavan najijnasata atma-tattvam

yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai

karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah

 

evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte

avidyayatmany upadhi yamane

pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve

na mucyate deha-yogena tavat

 

"People are mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this

present body, which is full of miseries, is a result of one's fruitive

activities in the past. Although this body is temporary, it is always

giving one trouble in many ways. Therefore, to act for sense

gratification is not good. One is considered to be a failure in life

as long as he makes no inquiry about his real identity. As long as he

does not know his real identity, he has to work for fruitive results

for sense gratification, and as long as one is engrossed in the

consciousness of sense gratification one has to transmigrate from one

body to another. Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive

activities and influenced by ignorance, one must develop a love for

devotional service to Vasudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity

to get out of the bondage of material existence."

 

Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body but

spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act in the

status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material

bondage. Action in Krsna consciousness is not, however, action on the

fruitive platform. Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen

one's advancement in real knowledge. Without Krsna consciousness, mere

renunciation of fruitive activities does not actually purify the heart

of a conditioned soul. As long as the heart is not purified, one has

to work on the fruitive platform. But action in Krsna consciousness

automatically helps one escape the result of fruitive action so that

one need not descend to the material platform. Therefore action in

Krsna consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which always

entails a risk of falling. Renunciation without Krsna consciousness is

incomplete, as is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.258):

 

prapancikataya buddhya

hari-sambandhi vastunah

mumuksubhih parityago

vairagyam phalgu kathyate

 

"When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things related to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them to be material, their

renunciation is called incomplete." Renunciation is complete when it

is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord

and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything. One should

understand that, factually, nothing belongs to anyone. Then where is

the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Krsna's

property is always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs

to Krsna, everything should be employed in the service of Krsna. This

perfect form of action in Krsna consciousness is far better than any

amount of artificial renunciation by a sannyasi of the Mayavadi

school.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.