Chapter 5 · Verse 2 · Karma Sanyasa Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 5.2
Sanskrit
श्री भगवानुवाच संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ। तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते।।5.2।।
Transliteration
śhrī bhagavān uvācha sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaśh cha niḥśhreyasa-karāvubhau tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśhiṣhyate
In plain words
You're in pain because you think you have to choose between your responsibilities and your freedom — between staying and breaking. Krishna says: the cage isn't in the doing; it's in doing it while white-knuckling the result. Show up fully for what's yours to do — your marriage, your work, your care — but give the outcome to God. That surrender while you're still engaged is what actually sets you free.
Word by Word
The Lord reveals a profound truth: both renunciation and selfless action lead to liberation, yet they are not equal paths. Renunciation without understanding becomes escapism; action performed with devotion and surrender becomes the very altar of freedom.
When you work not for the fruit but as an offering to the Divine, you dissolve the knot of ego that binds you—and this transformation happens through engagement, not withdrawal. In your modern life, this means that avoiding your responsibilities won't free you; only by showing up fully, doing your duty without clinging to outcomes, will you discover the spaciousness that the renunciates seek in caves.
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Bhagavad Gita 5.2 — BG 5.2
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