Reference: Course on The Bhagavad Gita
English Translation By Shri Purohit Swami
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Chapter 5
अर्जुनउवाच
संन्यासंकर्मणांकृष्णपुनर्योगंचशंससि।
यच्छ्रेयएतयोरेकंतन्मेब्रूहिसुनिश्िचतम्।।5.1।।
5.1 “Arjuna said: My Lord! At one moment Thou praisest renunciation of action; at another, right action. Tell me truly, I pray, which of these is the more conducive to my highest welfare?
श्रीभगवानुवाच
संन्यासःकर्मयोगश्चनिःश्रेयसकरावुभौ।
तयोस्तुकर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगोविशिष्यते।।5.2।।
5.2 Lord Shri Krishna replied: Renunciation of action and the path of right action both lead to the highest; of the two, right action is the better.
ज्ञेयःसनित्यसंन्यासीयोनद्वेष्टिनकाङ्क्षति।
निर्द्वन्द्वोहिमहाबाहोसुखंबन्धात्प्रमुच्यते।।5.3।।
5.3 He is a true ascetic who never desires or dislikes, who is uninfluenced by the opposites and is easily freed from bondage.
सांख्ययोगौपृथग्बालाःप्रवदन्तिनपण्डिताः।
एकमप्यास्थितःसम्यगुभयोर्विन्दतेफलम्।।5.4।।
5.4 Only the unenlightened speak of wisdom and right action as separate, not the wise. If any man knows one, he enjoys the fruit of both.
यत्सांख्यैःप्राप्यतेस्थानंतद्योगैरपिगम्यते।
एकंसांख्यंचयोगंचयःपश्यतिसपश्यति।।5.5।।
5.5 The level which is reached by wisdom is attained through right action as well. He who perceives that the two are one, knows the truth.
BG Verses 5.1-5.5
The renunciation of action, and right (selfless) action according to natural laws, both lead to liberation; but of these two, the selfless action is better. The person who acts selflessly has already renounced his personal self, and its desires and hateful emotions. He is no longer influenced by the opposites, and so he is easily liberated from bondage. So, renunciation of action and selfless action are not really different from each other. They lead to one and the same goal of liberation.
NOTE: The unselfishness of ‘selfless action’ comes from renunciation of the fixation on self and the selfish action resulting from that fixation. Thus, Jnana and Karma go hand in hand.
संन्यासस्तुमहाबाहोदुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः।
योगयुक्तोमुनिर्ब्रह्मनचिरेणाधिगच्छति।।5.6।।
5.6 Without concentration, O Mighty Man, renunciation is difficult. But the sage who is always meditating on the Divine, before long shall attain the Absolute.
योगयुक्तोविशुद्धात्माविजितात्माजितेन्द्रियः।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्माकुर्वन्नपिनलिप्यते।।5.7।।
5.7 He who is spiritual, who is pure, who has overcome his senses and his personal self, who has realized his highest Self as the Self of all, such a one, even though he acts, is not bound by his acts.
नैवकिंचित्करोमीतियुक्तोमन्येततत्त्ववित्।
पश्यन्श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन्श्वसन्।।5.8।।
5.8 Though the saint sees, hears, touches, smells, eats, moves, sleeps and breathes, yet he knows the Truth, and he knows that it is not he who acts.
प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषुवर्तन्तइतिधारयन्।।5.9।।
5.9 Though he talks, though he gives and receives, though he opens his eyes and shuts them, he still knows that his senses are merely disporting themselves among the objects of perception.
ब्रह्मण्याधायकर्माणिसङ्गंत्यक्त्वाकरोतियः।
लिप्यतेनसपापेनपद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा।।5.10।।
5.10 He who dedicates his actions to the Spirit, without any personal attachment to them, he is no more tainted by sin than the water lily is wetted by water.
BG Verses 5.6-5.10
Renunciation alone is not sufficient. A person must act wisely and selflessly for the benefit of all, just as nature does. Such a person, even though he acts, is not bound by those actions. He senses, perceives and becomes aware of the situation, and though natural actions flow out from him and handle the situation, he is more of an instrument that the doer. He remains unattached.
NOTE: These verses are simply emphasizing the points made earlier.
कायेनमनसाबुद्ध्याकेवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि।
योगिनःकर्मकुर्वन्तिसङ्गंत्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये।।5.11।।
5.11 The sage performs his action dispassionately, using his body, mind and intellect, and even his senses, always as a means of purification.
युक्तःकर्मफलंत्यक्त्वाशान्तिमाप्नोतिनैष्ठिकीम्।
अयुक्तःकामकारेणफलेसक्तोनिबध्यते।।5.12।।
5.12 Having abandoned the fruit of action, he wins eternal peace. Others unacquainted with spirituality, led by desire and clinging to the benefit which they think will follow their actions, become entangled in them.
सर्वकर्माणिमनसासंन्यस्यास्तेसुखंवशी।
नवद्वारेपुरेदेहीनैवकुर्वन्नकारयन्।।5.13।।
5.13 Mentally renouncing all actions, the self-controlled soul enjoys bliss in this body, the city of the nine gates, neither doing anything himself nor causing anything to be done.
नकर्तृत्वंनकर्माणिलोकस्यसृजतिप्रभुः।
नकर्मफलसंयोगंस्वभावस्तुप्रवर्तते।।5.14।।
5.14 The Lord of this universe has not ordained activity, or any incentive thereto, or any relation between an act and its consequences. All this is the work of Nature.
नादत्तेकस्यचित्पापंनचैवसुकृतंविभुः।
अज्ञानेनावृतंज्ञानंतेनमुह्यन्तिजन्तवः।।5.15।।
5.15 The Lord does not accept responsibility for any man’s sin or merit. Men are deluded because in them wisdom is submerged in ignorance.
BG Verses 5.11-5.15
The yogi, while giving up attachment, perform actions with his body, senses, mind, and intellect, only for the purpose of self-purification. Having abandoned the fruit of action, he wins eternal peace. Whereas others, led by their desires, and clinging to the benefit which they think will follow their actions, become entangled. Those who are self-controlled and detached reside happily in the body free from thoughts that they are the doers or the cause of anything. The actions, the sense of doership, and the consequences of actions, are all enacted by the modes of nature. Men are deluded because in them wisdom is submerged in ignorance.
NOTE: The author of BG is summarizing the ideas advanced earlier.
ज्ञानेनतुतदज्ञानंयेषांनाशितमात्मनः।
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानंप्रकाशयतितत्परम्।।5.16।।
5.16 Surely wisdom is like the sun, revealing the supreme truth to those whose ignorance is dispelled by the wisdom of the Self.
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिंज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः।।5.17।।
5.17 Meditating on the Divine, having faith in the Divine, concentrating on the Divine and losing themselves in the Divine, their sins dissolved in wisdom, they go whence there is no return.
विद्याविनयसंपन्नेब्राह्मणेगविहस्तिनि।
शुनिचैवश्वपाकेचपण्डिताःसमदर्शिनः।।5.18।।
5.18 Sages look equally upon all, whether he be a minister of learning and humility, or an infidel, or whether it be a cow, an elephant or a dog.
इहैवतैर्जितःसर्गोयेषांसाम्येस्थितंमनः।
निर्दोषंहिसमंब्रह्मतस्माद्ब्रह्मणितेस्थिताः।।5.19।।
5.19 Even in this world they conquer their earth-life whose minds, fixed on the Supreme, remain always balanced; for the Supreme has neither blemish nor bias.
नप्रहृष्येत्प्रियंप्राप्यनोद्विजेत्प्राप्यचाप्रियम्।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढोब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणिस्थितः।।5.20।।
5.20 He who knows and lives in the Absolute remains unmoved and unperturbed; he is not elated by pleasure or depressed by pain.
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्माविन्दत्यात्मनियत्सुखम्।
सब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मासुखमक्षयमश्नुते।।5.21।।
5.21 He finds happiness in his own Self, and enjoys eternal bliss, whose heart does not yearn for the contacts of earth and whose Self is one with the Everlasting.
येहिसंस्पर्शजाभोगादुःखयोनयएवते।
आद्यन्तवन्तःकौन्तेयनतेषुरमतेबुधः।।5.22।।
5.22 The joys that spring from external associations bring pain; they have their beginning and their endings. The wise man does not rejoice in them.
BG Verses 5.16-5.22
Like sun, the supreme wisdom illuminates everything. With such illumination all doubts are dispelled and karma are cleansed. By virtue of such illumination a person looks equally upon all, whether he be a minister of learning and humility, or an infidel, or whether it be a cow, an elephant or a dog. Such a person has conquered the cycle of birth and death in this very life. He has arrived at the awareness of Brahman. He is unmoved and unperturbed. He is not elated by pleasure or depressed by pain. He finds happiness in his own Self, and enjoys eternal bliss. He is not attracted to material sense pleasures. He is aware of them as impermanent. They do not bring him joy.
NOTE: These verses describe a person who has attained the awareness of brahman.
शक्नोतीहैवयःसोढुंप्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्।
कामक्रोधोद्भवंवेगंसयुक्तःससुखीनरः।।5.23।।
5.23 He who, before he leaves his body, learns to surmount the promptings of desire and anger is a saint and is happy.
योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेवयः।
सयोगीब्रह्मनिर्वाणंब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति।।5.24।।
5.24 He who is happy within his Self and has found Its peace, and in whom the inner light shines, that sage attains Eternal Bliss and becomes the Spirit Itself.
लभन्तेब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयःक्षीणकल्मषाः।
छिन्नद्वैधायतात्मानःसर्वभूतहितेरताः।।5.25।।
5.25 Sages whose sins have been washed away, whose sense of separateness has vanished, who have subdued themselves, and seek only the welfare of all, come to the Eternal Spirit.
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानांयतीनांयतचेतसाम्।
अभितोब्रह्मनिर्वाणंवर्ततेविदितात्मनाम्।।5.26।।
5.26 Saints who know their Selves, who control their minds, and feel neither desire nor anger, find Eternal Bliss everywhere.
स्पर्शान्कृत्वाबहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरेभ्रुवोः।
प्राणापानौसमौकृत्वानासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ।।5.27।।
5.27 Excluding external objects, his gaze fixed between the eyebrows, the inward and outward breathings passing equally through his nostrils; …
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः।
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधोयःसदामुक्तएवसः।।5.28।।
5.28 Governing sense, mind and intellect, intent on liberation, free from desire, fear and anger, the sage is forever free.
भोक्तारंयज्ञतपसांसर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्।
सुहृदंसर्वभूतानांज्ञात्वामांशान्तिमृच्छति।।5.29।।
5.29 Knowing me as Him who gladly receives all offerings of austerity and sacrifice, as the Might Ruler of all the Worlds and the Friend of all beings, he passes to Eternal Peace.”
BG Verses 5.23-5:29
A person who has overcome desire and anger becomes happy in this life. As he acquires peace and illumination within, he attains ultimate awareness and liberation. His sins are then purged, doubts are annihilated, mind is disciplined, and he rejoices in the welfare of all. He is continually blissful. He meditates by withdrawing his attention from external sense objects, his gaze fixed between the eyebrows, the inward and outward breathings passing equally through his nostrils, thus controlling the senses, mind, and intellect, and free from desire, fear and anger. Fully conscious of the ultimate reality and knowing how he is contributing all that forms it, he attains eternal peace.
NOTE: These verses lay out the sequence of how a person meditates, and through meditation, attains eternal peace.
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Summary
This chapter summarizes earlier chapters. The renunciation of action, and the right action are not really different because the right action is performed selflessly. In a selfless action the attention is not on the self but on the benefit of the community. A selfless action is wise and thoughtful. It flows by itself according to the laws of nature.
When acting selflessly the person is unattached. His acts only for the purpose of self-purification. He is not concerned with the results of his actions because he knows that he is acting wisely and most appropriately. Thus he is at peace. He is self-controlled and detached. He resides happily in the body without any sense of personal desires, benefits, or doership.
He is illuminated by supreme wisdom, all his doubts are dispelled, all his karma are cleansed. He looks equally upon all. He is not elated by pleasure or depressed by pain. He is aware of material sense pleasures as impermanent. He has conquered the cycle of birth and death in this very life. He is unmoved and unperturbed. He enjoys eternal bliss of the awareness of Brahman.
He is liberated and rejoices in the welfare of all. Maintaining a meditative state he attains eternal peace.
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