Chapter V · Śloka 2
Śrī Kṛṣṇa uvāca
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ |
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ||
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ |
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ||
śrī-bhagavān uvāca |
sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau |
tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate ||
sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau |
tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate ||
The Blessed Lord said: Both renunciation of action and the yoga of action lead to liberation. But of the two, the yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action.
Both paths lead to the same summit. Krishna does not dismiss renunciation, but says that for most, engaged action with inner detachment is the more accessible and reliable path — it does not depend on escaping life, but on transforming it.