Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ॥२॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ
sannyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ
prāhus tyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ
Word for word (synonyms)
- śrī bhagavān uvāca
- the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
- kāmyānām
- with desire
- karmaṇām
- activities
- nyāsam
- renunciation
- sannyāsam
- renounced order of life
- kavayaḥ
- the learned
- viduḥ
- know
- sarva
- all
- karma
- activities
- phala
- of results
- tyāgam
- renunciation
- prāhuḥ
- call
- tyāgam
- renunciation
- vicakṣaṇāḥ
- the experienced
Translation
The Supreme Lord said, To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation [tyāga] by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life [sannyāsa] by great learned men.
Defined in the Gītā
Renunciation
What is real renunciation?
One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
This verse is one of the Gītā’s own answers.
The learned
Who is truly learned?
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
Purport
The performance of activities for results has to be given up. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. But activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not to be given up. This will be made clear in the next verse. There are many prescriptions of methods for performing sacrifice for some particular purpose in the Vedic literatures. There are certain sacrifices to perform to attain a good son or to attain elevation to the higher planets, but sacrifices prompted by desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the purification of one's heart or for advancement in the spiritual science should not be given up.
What this verse teaches
Kṛṣṇa defines sannyāsa and tyāga. He gives two opinions on tyāga and then His own opinion.
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.