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ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತಾ · ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ 5 / 18

ಕರ್ಮಸಂನ್ಯಾಸಯೋಗ

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 in Kannada

Karm Sanyās Yog · Path of Renunciation · 29 verses

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Chapter Summary

The fifth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Karma Sanyasa Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna compares the paths of renunciation in actions (Karma Sanyas) and actions with detachment (Karma Yoga) and explains that both are means to reach the same goal and we can choose either. A wise person should perform his/her worldly duties without attachment to the fruits of his/her actions and dedicate them to God. This way they remain unaffected by sin and eventually attain liberation.

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ಅರ್ಜುನ ಉವಾಚ ಸಂನ್ಯಾಸಂ ಕರ್ಮಣಾಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಪುನರ್ಯೋಗಂ ಶಂಸಸಿ। ಯಚ್ಛ್ರೇಯ ಏತಯೋರೇಕಂ ತನ್ಮೇ ಬ್ರೂಹಿ ಸುನಿಶ್ಿಚತಮ್॥

arjuna uvācha sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛiṣhṇa punar yogaṁ cha śhansasi yach chhreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi su-niśhchitam

MeaningArjuna said, "O Krishna, you praise renunciation of actions and also yoga. Please tell me conclusively which is better of the two."

ಶ್ರೀ ಭಗವಾನುವಾಚ ಸಂನ್ಯಾಸಃ ಕರ್ಮಯೋಗಶ್ಚ ನಿಃಶ್ರೇಯಸಕರಾವುಭೌ। ತಯೋಸ್ತು ಕರ್ಮಸಂನ್ಯಾಸಾತ್ಕರ್ಮಯೋಗೋ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಯತೇ॥

śhrī bhagavān uvācha sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaśh cha niḥśhreyasa-karāvubhau tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśhiṣhyate

MeaningThe Blessed Lord said, "Renunciation and the Yoga of action both lead to the highest bliss; but of the two, the Yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action."

ಜ್ಞೇಯಃ ನಿತ್ಯಸಂನ್ಯಾಸೀ ಯೋ ದ್ವೇಷ್ಟಿ ಕಾಙ್ಕ್ಷತಿ। ನಿರ್ದ್ವನ್ದ್ವೋ ಹಿ ಮಹಾಬಾಹೋ ಸುಖಂ ಬನ್ಧಾತ್ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ॥

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramuchyate

MeaningHe should be known as a perpetual Sannyasi who neither hates nor desires; for, free from the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he is easily freed from bondage.

ಸಾಂಖ್ಯಯೋಗೌ ಪೃಥಗ್ಬಾಲಾಃ ಪ್ರವದನ್ತಿ ಪಣ್ಡಿತಾಃ। ಏಕಮಪ್ಯಾಸ್ಥಿತಃ ಸಮ್ಯಗುಭಯೋರ್ವಿನ್ದತೇ ಫಲಮ್॥

sānkhya-yogau pṛithag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam

MeaningChildren, not the wise, speak of knowledge and the Yoga of action, or the performance of action, as though they are distinct and different; he who is truly established in one, obtains the fruits of both.

ಯತ್ಸಾಂಖ್ಯೈಃ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯತೇ ಸ್ಥಾನಂ ತದ್ಯೋಗೈರಪಿ ಗಮ್ಯತೇ। ಏಕಂ ಸಾಂಖ್ಯಂ ಯೋಗಂ ಯಃ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ॥

yat sānkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ tad yogair api gamyate ekaṁ sānkhyaṁ cha yogaṁ cha yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati

MeaningThat place which is reached by the Sankhyas or the Jnanis is also reached by the Yogis (Karma Yogis). He who sees knowledge and the performance of action (Karma Yoga) as one, sees truly.

ಸಂನ್ಯಾಸಸ್ತು ಮಹಾಬಾಹೋ ದುಃಖಮಾಪ್ತುಮಯೋಗತಃ। ಯೋಗಯುಕ್ತೋ ಮುನಿರ್ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ನಚಿರೇಣಾಧಿಗಚ್ಛತಿ॥

sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ yoga-yukto munir brahma na chireṇādhigachchhati

MeaningBut, O mighty-armed Arjuna, renunciation is hard to attain without Yoga; the sage who is in harmony with Yoga quickly goes to Brahman.

ಯೋಗಯುಕ್ತೋ ವಿಶುದ್ಧಾತ್ಮಾ ವಿಜಿತಾತ್ಮಾ ಜಿತೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಃ। ಸರ್ವಭೂತಾತ್ಮಭೂತಾತ್ಮಾ ಕುರ್ವನ್ನಪಿ ಲಿಪ್ಯತೇ॥

yoga-yukto viśhuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā kurvann api na lipyate

MeaningHe who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is pure, who has conquered the self, who has subdued his senses, and who realizes his Self as the Self in all beings, though acting, is not tainted.

ನೈವ ಕಿಂಚಿತ್ಕರೋಮೀತಿ ಯುಕ್ತೋ ಮನ್ಯೇತ ತತ್ತ್ವವಿತ್। ಪಶ್ಯನ್ ಶ್ರೃಣವನ್ಸ್ಪೃಶಞ್ಜಿಘ್ರನ್ನಶ್ನನ್ಗಚ್ಛನ್ಸ್ವಪನ್ ಶ್ವಸನ್॥

naiva kiñchit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśhyañ śhṛiṇvan spṛiśhañjighrann aśhnangachchhan svapañśhvasan pralapan visṛijan gṛihṇann unmiṣhan nimiṣhann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣhu vartanta iti dhārayan

MeaningI do nothing at all," thus would the harmonized knower of Truth think, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, and breathing.

ಪ್ರಲಪನ್ವಿಸೃಜನ್ಗೃಹ್ಣನ್ನುನ್ಮಿಷನ್ನಿಮಿಷನ್ನಪಿ। ಇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾಣೀನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾರ್ಥೇಷು ವರ್ತನ್ತ ಇತಿ ಧಾರಯನ್॥

pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan

MeaningSpeaking, letting go, seizing, opening, and closing the eyes, one should be convinced that the senses move among the sense-objects.

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯಾಧಾಯ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಸಙ್ಗಂ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ ಕರೋತಿ ಯಃ। ಲಿಪ್ಯತೇ ಪಾಪೇನ ಪದ್ಮಪತ್ರಮಿವಾಮ್ಭಸಾ॥

brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā

MeaningHe who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not tainted by water.

ಕಾಯೇನ ಮನಸಾ ಬುದ್ಧ್ಯಾ ಕೇವಲೈರಿನ್ದ್ರಿಯೈರಪಿ। ಯೋಗಿನಃ ಕರ್ಮ ಕುರ್ವನ್ತಿ ಸಙ್ಗಂ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾಽಽತ್ಮಶುದ್ಧಯೇ॥

kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śhuddhaye

MeaningYogis, having abandoned attachment, perform actions only through the body, mind, intellect, and even the senses, for the purification of the self.

ಯುಕ್ತಃ ಕರ್ಮಫಲಂ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ ಶಾನ್ತಿಮಾಪ್ನೋತಿ ನೈಷ್ಠಿಕೀಮ್। ಅಯುಕ್ತಃ ಕಾಮಕಾರೇಣ ಫಲೇ ಸಕ್ತೋ ನಿಬಧ್ಯತೇ॥

yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā śhāntim āpnoti naiṣhṭhikīm ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate

MeaningThe one who is united (the well-poised or harmonized) having abandoned the fruit of action attains eternal peace; whereas the one who is not united (the unsteady or unbalanced), impelled by desire and attached to the fruit, is bound.

ಸರ್ವಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಮನಸಾ ಸಂನ್ಯಸ್ಯಾಸ್ತೇ ಸುಖಂ ವಶೀ। ನವದ್ವಾರೇ ಪುರೇ ದೇಹೀ ನೈವ ಕುರ್ವನ್ನ ಕಾರಯನ್॥

sarva-karmāṇi manasā sannyasyāste sukhaṁ vaśhī nava-dvāre pure dehī naiva kurvan na kārayan

MeaningMentally renouncing all actions and being self-controlled, the embodied one happily rests in the nine-gated city, neither acting nor causing others (body and senses) to act.

ಕರ್ತೃತ್ವಂ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಲೋಕಸ್ಯ ಸೃಜತಿ ಪ್ರಭುಃ। ಕರ್ಮಫಲಸಂಯೋಗಂ ಸ್ವಭಾವಸ್ತು ಪ್ರವರ್ತತೇ॥

na kartṛitvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛijati prabhuḥ na karma-phala-saṅyogaṁ svabhāvas tu pravartate

MeaningNeither does the Lord create agency nor actions for the world, nor union with the fruits of actions; rather, it is Nature that acts.

ನಾದತ್ತೇ ಕಸ್ಯಚಿತ್ಪಾಪಂ ಚೈವ ಸುಕೃತಂ ವಿಭುಃ। ಅಜ್ಞಾನೇನಾವೃತಂ ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ತೇನ ಮುಹ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಜನ್ತವಃ॥

nādatte kasyachit pāpaṁ na chaiva sukṛitaṁ vibhuḥ ajñānenāvṛitaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ

MeaningThe Lord takes neither the demerit nor the merit of any; knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, and beings are deluded.

ಜ್ಞಾನೇನ ತು ತದಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಯೇಷಾಂ ನಾಶಿತಮಾತ್ಮನಃ। ತೇಷಾಮಾದಿತ್ಯವಜ್ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಯತಿ ತತ್ಪರಮ್॥

jñānena tu tad ajñānaṁ yeṣhāṁ nāśhitam ātmanaḥ teṣhām āditya-vaj jñānaṁ prakāśhayati tat param

MeaningBut to those whose ignorance is destroyed by knowledge of the Self, like the sun, knowledge reveals the Supreme Brahman.

ತದ್ಬುದ್ಧಯಸ್ತದಾತ್ಮಾನಸ್ತನ್ನಿಷ್ಠಾಸ್ತತ್ಪರಾಯಣಾಃ। ಗಚ್ಛನ್ತ್ಯಪುನರಾವೃತ್ತಿಂ ಜ್ಞಾನನಿರ್ಧೂತಕಲ್ಮಷಾಃ॥

tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣhṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ gachchhantyapunar-āvṛittiṁ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣhāḥ

MeaningTheir intellect absorbed in That, their self being That, established in That, with That as their supreme goal, they go whence there is no return, their sins dispelled by knowledge.

ವಿದ್ಯಾವಿನಯಸಂಪನ್ನೇ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೇ ಗವಿ ಹಸ್ತಿನಿ। ಶುನಿ ಚೈವ ಶ್ವಪಾಕೇ ಪಣ್ಡಿತಾಃ ಸಮದರ್ಶಿನಃ॥

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ

MeaningSages look with an equal eye on a Brahmana endowed with learning and humility, on a cow, an elephant, a dog, and even an outcaste.

ಇಹೈವ ತೈರ್ಜಿತಃ ಸರ್ಗೋ ಯೇಷಾಂ ಸಾಮ್ಯೇ ಸ್ಥಿತಂ ಮನಃ। ನಿರ್ದೋಷಂ ಹಿ ಸಮಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಿ ತೇ ಸ್ಥಿತಾಃ॥

ihaiva tair jitaḥ sargo yeṣhāṁ sāmye sthitaṁ manaḥ nirdoṣhaṁ hi samaṁ brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāḥ

MeaningEven here in this world, those whose minds rest in reality overcome birth; Brahman is indeed spotless and real; therefore they are established in Brahman.

ಪ್ರಹೃಷ್ಯೇತ್ಪ್ರಿಯಂ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ನೋದ್ವಿಜೇತ್ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ಚಾಪ್ರಿಯಮ್। ಸ್ಥಿರಬುದ್ಧಿರಸಮ್ಮೂಢೋ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವಿದ್ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಿ ಸ್ಥಿತಃ॥

na prahṛiṣhyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya chāpriyam sthira-buddhir asammūḍho brahma-vid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ

MeaningResting in Brahman, with a steady intellect and undeluded, the knower of Brahman neither rejoices upon obtaining what is pleasant nor grieves upon obtaining what is unpleasant.

ಬಾಹ್ಯಸ್ಪರ್ಶೇಷ್ವಸಕ್ತಾತ್ಮಾ ವಿನ್ದತ್ಯಾತ್ಮನಿ ಯತ್ಸುಖಮ್। ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಯೋಗಯುಕ್ತಾತ್ಮಾ ಸುಖಮಕ್ಷಯಮಶ್ನುತೇ॥

bāhya-sparśheṣhvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣhayam aśhnute

MeaningWith the self unattached to external contacts, he finds happiness in the Self; with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman, he attains endless happiness.

ಯೇ ಹಿ ಸಂಸ್ಪರ್ಶಜಾ ಭೋಗಾ ದುಃಖಯೋನಯ ಏವ ತೇ। ಆದ್ಯನ್ತವನ್ತಃ ಕೌನ್ತೇಯ ತೇಷು ರಮತೇ ಬುಧಃ॥

ye hi sansparśha-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣhu ramate budhaḥ

MeaningThe enjoyments that arise from contact are only sources of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna; the wise do not rejoice in them.

ಶಕ್ನೋತೀಹೈವ ಯಃ ಸೋಢುಂ ಪ್ರಾಕ್ಶರೀರವಿಮೋಕ್ಷಣಾತ್। ಕಾಮಕ್ರೋಧೋದ್ಭವಂ ವೇಗಂ ಯುಕ್ತಃ ಸುಖೀ ನರಃ॥

śhaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prāk śharīra-vimokṣhaṇāt kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ

MeaningHe who is able, while still here in this world, to withstand the impulse born out of desire and anger before the liberation from the body, he is a Yogi, and he is a happy man.

ಯೋಽನ್ತಃಸುಖೋಽನ್ತರಾರಾಮಸ್ತಥಾನ್ತರ್ಜ್ಯೋತಿರೇವ ಯಃ। ಯೋಗೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿರ್ವಾಣಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಭೂತೋಽಧಿಗಚ್ಛತಿ॥

yo 'ntaḥ-sukho 'ntar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ brahma-bhūto 'dhigachchhati

MeaningHe who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illuminated within, that Yogi attains absolute freedom, or Moksha, becoming Brahman himself.

ಲಭನ್ತೇ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿರ್ವಾಣಮೃಷಯಃ ಕ್ಷೀಣಕಲ್ಮಷಾಃ। ಛಿನ್ನದ್ವೈಧಾ ಯತಾತ್ಮಾನಃ ಸರ್ವಭೂತಹಿತೇ ರತಾಃ॥

labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛiṣhayaḥ kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ chhinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ

MeaningThe sages obtain absolute freedom or Moksha when their sins have been destroyed, their dualities have been torn asunder, they are self-controlled, and they are intent on the welfare of all beings.

ಕಾಮಕ್ರೋಧವಿಯುಕ್ತಾನಾಂ ಯತೀನಾಂ ಯತಚೇತಸಾಮ್। ಅಭಿತೋ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿರ್ವಾಣಂ ವರ್ತತೇ ವಿದಿತಾತ್ಮನಾಮ್॥

kāma-krodha-viyuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yata-chetasām abhito brahma-nirvāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām

MeaningAbsolute freedom exists on all sides for those self-controlled ascetics who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts, and who have realized the Self.

ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಾನ್ಕೃತ್ವಾ ಬಹಿರ್ಬಾಹ್ಯಾಂಶ್ಚಕ್ಷುಶ್ಚೈವಾನ್ತರೇ ಭ್ರುವೋಃ। ಪ್ರಾಣಾಪಾನೌ ಸಮೌ ಕೃತ್ವಾ ನಾಸಾಭ್ಯನ್ತರಚಾರಿಣೌ॥

sparśhān kṛitvā bahir bāhyānśh chakṣhuśh chaivāntare bhruvoḥ prāṇāpānau samau kṛitvā nāsābhyantara-chāriṇau yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣha-parāyaṇaḥ vigatechchhā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ

MeaningShutting out all external contacts and fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, realizing the outgoing and incoming breaths moving within the nostrils.

ಯತೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಮನೋಬುದ್ಧಿರ್ಮುನಿರ್ಮೋಕ್ಷಪರಾಯಣಃ। ವಿಗತೇಚ್ಛಾಭಯಕ್ರೋಧೋ ಯಃ ಸದಾ ಮುಕ್ತ ಏವ ಸಃ॥

yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣa-parāyaṇaḥ vigatecchā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ

MeaningWith the senses, mind, and intellect ever controlled, having liberation as their supreme goal, free from desire, fear, and anger, the sage is truly liberated forever.

ಭೋಕ್ತಾರಂ ಯಜ್ಞತಪಸಾಂ ಸರ್ವಲೋಕಮಹೇಶ್ವರಮ್। ಸುಹೃದಂ ಸರ್ವಭೂತಾನಾಂ ಜ್ಞಾತ್ವಾ ಮಾಂ ಶಾನ್ತಿಮೃಚ್ಛತಿ॥

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśhvaram suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati

MeaningHe who knows Me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all the worlds, and the friend of all beings, attains peace.