Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 5 · Karma Sannyasa Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 5.1 संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि
श्लोक 5.1
अर्जुन उवाच ।
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि ।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥
arjuna uvāca |
saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi |
yacchreya etayorekaṃ tanme brūhi suniścitam ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
अर्जुन ने कहा: हे कृष्ण! आप कभी कर्मों के संन्यास की प्रशंसा करते हैं और फिर कर्मयोग की। इन दोनों में जो एक निश्चित रूप से कल्याणकारी हो, वह मुझे बताइए।
Meaning in English
Arjuna said: O Krishna, You praise the renunciation of actions and then again the yoga of action. Tell me with certainty which one of these two is better.
Bhagavad Gita 5.1 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अर्जुन उवाच | arjuna uvāca | Arjuna said |
| संन्यासम् | saṃnyāsam | renunciation |
| कर्मणाम् | karmaṇām | of actions |
| कृष्ण | kṛṣṇa | O Krishna |
| पुनः | punaḥ | and again |
| योगम् च | yogam ca | and the yoga of action |
| शंससि | śaṃsasi | you praise |
| यत् श्रेयः | yat śreyaḥ | which is better |
| एतयोः एकम् | etayoḥ ekam | the one of these two |
| तत् मे | tat me | that, to me |
| ब्रूहि | brūhi | tell |
| सुनिश्चितम् | suniścitam | with certainty |
Explanation
Arjuna says: Krishna, you praise the renunciation of actions, and then again you praise the yoga of action. Of these two, tell me clearly and decisively the one that is better. He wants a single, settled answer rather than what feels to him like two competing recommendations.
Chapter 4 ended with praise of knowledge that burns up karma, yet also with the command to stand up and fight. Arjuna, still hoping for a way out of the battle, asks Krishna to choose between giving up action and acting in yoga. Shankara holds that the question presumes two paths meant for different kinds of seekers, renunciation suited to the knower and action to the one still purifying the mind. Ramanuja reads the chapter as showing that karma yoga already contains knowledge and is the easier, safer path for an embodied person.
भावार्थ
अर्जुन ने कहा — हे कृष्ण, आप कभी कर्मों के संन्यास की प्रशंसा करते हैं और फिर कर्मयोग की। इन दोनों में से जो एक मेरे लिए निश्चित रूप से कल्याणकारी हो, वही मुझे बताइए।
Living it today
When advice seems to point two ways, it is fair to ask for clarity — then look for the deeper principle that may reconcile both.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 5.1?
Arjuna says: Krishna, you praise the renunciation of actions, and then again you praise the yoga of action. Of these two, tell me clearly and decisively the one that is better. He wants a single, settled answer rather than what feels to him like two competing recommendations.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 5.1?
Arjuna speaks this verse, in Chapter 5 (Karma Sannyasa Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 5.1 in daily life?
When advice seems to point two ways, it is fair to ask for clarity — then look for the deeper principle that may reconcile both.
Reflected on verse 5.1?
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