BG 5.2 (1972)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 2
- श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
- संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
- तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥२॥
- śrī-bhagavān uvāca
- sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca
- niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau
- tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt
- karma-yogo viśiṣyate
SYNONYMS
śrī bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; sannyāsaḥ—renunciation of work; karma-yogaḥ—work in devotion; ca—also; niḥśreyasa-karau—all leading to the path of liberation; ubhau—both; tayoḥ—of the two; tu—but; karma-sannyāsāt—in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogaḥ—work in devotion; viśiṣyate—is better.
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord said: 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 works.
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. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam confirms this as follows:
- nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
- na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
- parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvanna jijñāsata ātma-tattvam
- yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ
- evaṁ manaḥ karma-vaśaṁ prayuṅkte avidyayātmany upadhīyamāne
- prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat
"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 the nature of work for fruitive results, for 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 Vāsudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence." (SB 5.5.4-6)
Therefore, jñāna (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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not, however, action on the fruitive platform. Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen one's advancement in real knowledge. Without Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically helps one escape the result of fruitive action so that one need not descend to the material platform. Therefore, action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which always entails a risk of falling. Renunciation without Kṛṣṇa consciousness is incomplete, as is confirmed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindbu.
- prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
- mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate.
"Renunciation by persons eager to achieve liberation of things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, is called incomplete renunciation." Renunciation is compete 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 Kṛṣṇa's property is always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, everything should be employed in the service of Kṛṣṇa. This perfect form of action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is far better than any amount of artificial renunciation by a sannyāsī of the Māyāvādī school.