Bhagavad Gita · Karma Sannyasa YogaChapter 5, Shloka 1 (5.1)
Original Sanskrit · अर्जुनः
अर्जुन उवाच
सन्न्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्
॥ 5.1 ॥
sannyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi
yacchreya etayorekaṃ tanme brūhi suniścitam
Translation
"Arjuna said: O Krishna! You praise the renunciation of actions, and then karma yoga as well. Tell me with certainty the one of these two that is better."
Interpretation
A third time: "tell me the one thing". 2.7 (yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṃ brūhi), 3.2 (tad ekaṃ vada niścitya), and now 5.1 (yac chreya etayor ekaṃ tan me brūhi suniścitam). Arjuna's search — for the certain good.
Shankaracharya: renunciation = the parityāga of karmaṇāṃ śāstrīyāṇām anuṣṭheya-viśeṣāṇām — giving up the actions prescribed by scripture; yoga = performing them. The doubt: kiṃ karmānuṣṭhānaṃ śreyaḥ kiṃ vā tad-dhānam — is it better to perform action or to give it up? And saha eka-puruṣānuṣṭheyatvāsambhavāt — one person cannot do both at once (Shankara's argument from 3.1–3.3), hence "tell me the one".
Acharya Ramanuja: renunciation = jñāna-yoga. Arjuna recalls: in chapter 2 — first karma yoga, then, through it, jnana yoga with a purified mind; in chapters 3–4 — even for one fit for jnana yoga, steadfastness in action is better, and it is a means to attaining the self even without steadfastness in knowledge. So, as a means to attaining the self, which is better saukaryāt śaighryāc ca — for ease and for speed?
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.