Verse 5.1
Speaker: Arjuna
Sanskrit
अर्जुन उवाच। सन्न्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि। यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्।।
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca। sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi। yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi suniścitam।।
Word-by-Word Meanings
सन्न्यासम्-renunciation
कर्मणाम्-of actions
योगम्-yoga of action
शंससि-you praise
श्रेयः-better
सुनिश्चितम्-with certainty
Translation
Arjuna said: O Krishna, you praise renunciation of actions and also yoga of action. Tell me with certainty which one of these two is better.
Commentary
Arjuna is confused because Krishna has praised both the path of renunciation (sannyāsa) and the path of selfless action (karma yoga). This verse sets up the central theme of Chapter 5, which resolves the apparent contradiction between these two paths.
Themes
karmajnanamoksha