Spiritual clarity must guide practical action.
Arjuna speaks to Krishna
अर्जुन उवाच |संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि |यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ||५-१||
arjuna uvāca . saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi . yacchreya etayorekaṃ tanme brūhi suniścitam ||5-1||
Use this verse when you are torn between withdrawal and action.
Meaning
Arjuna said: O Krishna, You praise renunciation of action and also Karma Yoga. Tell me decisively which of these is better.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Arjuna wants clarity between renunciation and action.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Chapter 5 begins with a practical confusion. Arjuna has heard about renunciation and action, but he needs a clear path. This reflects a common modern dilemma: should I withdraw from worldly responsibility or engage more consciously? Krishna will show that real renunciation is not laziness or escape; it is inner freedom while performing the right action.
Read the traditional commentary
Arjuna opens the fifth chapter with an honest confusion. In the previous teachings Krishna has praised both sannyasa — the renunciation (tyaga) of action — and karma-yoga, the path of selfless action. To the practical mind these appear to be opposites: how can one both give up work and engage in it? Arjuna therefore asks for a single, decisive answer (suniscitam) about which path is truly superior.
His question reveals a sincere seeker's instinct: when two valid-sounding teachings seem to conflict, ask the teacher to resolve them rather than guess. Krishna will go on to show that the apparent contradiction dissolves once we understand that real renunciation is inward, not the mere abandonment of activity.
In daily life
When confused between quitting and continuing, seek the deeper dharmic reason.
A professional may wonder whether to leave a job or work with better boundaries and detachment.
Try this today
Write the decision and ask whether it is guided by clarity, fear, or duty.
I seek clear guidance before choosing my path.Reflect
Am I seeking renunciation, or am I trying to escape discomfort?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘पुनः योगम्’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on clarity, in other chapters
- Verse 18.1 · ArjunaBefore committing to a path, take the trouble to understand precisely what its key ideas actually mean.
- Verse 3.2 · ArjunaWhen a teaching overwhelms you, ask sincerely for the one clear next step instead of drowning in every possibility.
- Verse 4.41Selfless action joined with clear knowledge frees the self-possessed soul — deeds no longer bind one anchored in the Self.
- Verse 6.1Do your duty wholeheartedly while letting go of attachment to its results — that, not withdrawal from work, is real renunciation.
Swipe left for 5.2 · Karma Yoga makes ordinary life a spiritual path.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 5.1
Who says Bhagavad Gita 5.1, and to whom?
Arjuna speaks to Krishna in verse 5.1, in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga (Karma Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 5.1 mean?
Arjuna said: O Krishna, You praise renunciation of action and also Karma Yoga. Tell me decisively which of these is better. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 5.1 for daily life?
When confused between quitting and continuing, seek the deeper dharmic reason. A professional may wonder whether to leave a job or work with better boundaries and detachment.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 5.1 mean?
संन्यासम् — renunciation; कर्मणाम् — of actions; कृष्ण — O Krishna; पुनः योगम् — and again Yoga (of action); च शंससि — you praise.
Where does verse 5.1 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 1 of 29 in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 5.2.