BG 5.1 — Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga — Sūtrakṛt-Gītā

Bhagavad Gītā 5.1Chapter 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर् योगं च शंससि ।

यच् छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन् मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥

saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṃ ca śaṃsasi

yac chreya etayor ekaṃ tan me brūhi suniścitam

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

You praise renunciation of action and then action itself, Arjuna tells Krishna. Which of the two leads more surely to the good? Tell me that one, with no ambiguity left.

ekras · bhāṣya

The two recommendations have been alternating across chapters two through four. Sometimes Krishna has called for the renunciation of action; sometimes for its disciplined performance. Arjuna has been holding both, and the holding has reached its limit. He is asking now for one decisive answer.

Madhusudana maps Arjuna's frustration precisely. Chapters three and four showed that karma (for the ignorant) and jnana (for the knowing) cannot be simultaneously practiced by the same person at the same level — they are svarupa-viruddha, opposed in their very nature. So when Krishna seems to commend both at once to him, the contradiction has not yet been resolved.

Vallabha frames Arjuna's question as the pushti-nishtha devotee's typical doubt: caught between two poles of the same teaching, he asks for the resolving cut. The keyword is sunishcitam — decisively, with full conviction. Arjuna does not want a both-and answer; he wants the one path he should walk.

Krishna's reply will be unexpectedly subtle: both paths produce nihshreyasa, but for the practitioner not yet at jnana-nishtha, karma-yoga is more usable. The chapter that opens here will hold both halves of that answer.

Context

where

Chapter 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

What's going on

You praise renunciation of action and then action itself, Arjuna tells Krishna. Which of the two leads more surely to the good? Tell me that one, with no ambiguity left.

Sūtras through this verse · hub (63)

ŚaṅkaraclassicalB

Knowledge alone, with all action laid downbetween

3.4Mere not-doing is not renunciation at all.───→here5.1───→5.13Lay down all acts in mind; sit at ease, body free.

ĀnandagiriclassicalH

Phala-saṃkalpa is the only upādhibetween

4.18Action-in-inaction: the upādhi seen. Anchor.───→here5.1───→5.13All actions renounced by mind alone.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

4.23Clinging to anything is what binds you.───→here5.1───→5.12Drop the wish for fruit, not the fruit itself.

show all 63

MadhusūdanaclassicalB

Different students need different teachingsstation · anchor

───→here5.1───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalC

Action purifies before knowing can landstation · anchor

───→here5.1───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalG

Knowing and acting cannot run togetherstation · anchor

───→here5.1───→

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)station · anchor

───→here5.1───→

Śaṅkaraclassicalshankara_jnana_nishtha

Shankara Jnana Nishthabetween · other

3.4Naishkarmya is not just non-doing───→here5.1───→5.13Nine-gated city, all karma laid down

ŚaṅkaraclassicalC

Knowledge plus action will not save youbetween

3.3Two paths for two kinds — never combined.───→here5.1───→5.2Each path bears fruit by its own working.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalD

The fit student vs the unfit studentbetween

3.3Two populations, two distinct paths.───→here5.1───→5.6Renunciation is hard without yoga first.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

4.18See not-doing in doing, doing in not-doing.───→here5.1───→5.13Body-self confusion is the only error.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalG

After knowing, act only to hold the worldbetween

4.18The post-knowledge actor does no action at all.───→here5.1───→5.8I do nothing at all, says the knower.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalK

Liberation while still embodiedbetween

2.72Standing in this state, one reaches Brahman..───→here5.1───→5.13Nine-gated city: body remains, doership does not.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingapproach

───→here5.1───→5.29Friend of all beings, the witness of every act.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalI

The lover and the knower are one personapproach

───→here5.1───→7.16Of the four devotees, the knower is dearest.

MadhvaclassicalT7

Action and knowledge — never rivalsstation

───→here5.1───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

4.14Acts without clinging───→here5.1───→5.14Two tiers of rulership

MadhvaclassicalT1

Hari is supreme — the running reading-rulebetween

4.24Every word for ritual points back to Viṣṇu.───→here5.1───→5.7'Self of all beings' just means the Lord.

MadhvaclassicalT2

Soul depends on Lord — the gap that does not closebetween

3.27Action is the modes'; the soul only seems to act.───→here5.1───→5.14The soul rules the inert; the Lord rules the soul.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

4.14He acts but does not cling to the act.───→here5.1───→5.14The Lord rules the modes; the soul rules the body.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

2.59The taste fades only when the source is seen.───→here5.1───→5.16Mediated knowing is just the first step.

MadhvaclassicalT12

Closure by gloss — the small repertoirebetween

4.25'Divine' just means the Lord, named indirectly.───→here5.1───→5.7'Self of all' resolves to the Lord himself.

ĀnandagiriclassicalA

The two-niṣṭhā axisstation

───→here5.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalC

Adhikāra: seeker vs. fulfilledstation

───→here5.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalD

Praśna-bīja chapter openingsstation

───→here5.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalF

Which karma? — fourfold typologystation

───→here5.1───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

Three groups of six: you, the Lord, the joiningstation

───→here5.1───→

Ekrasmodernkarma_yoga

Karma yoga — the apprentice pathbetween · v2

4.18Action in inaction───→here5.1───→5.6Renunciation needs the path

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

2.58Tortoise withdrawing───→here5.1───→5.27Senses excluded

Ekrasmodernparadox_of_doership

Paradox of doership — kartṛtvabetween · v2

3.27Modes act, ego claims───→here5.1───→5.13Nine-gated city

Ekrasmodernanger_management

Anger Managementbetween · other

3.37Kāma is the enemy───→here5.1───→5.23Endure the urge

RamsukhdasclassicalC

Desire is the root — not actionbetween

3.43Use intellect to slay the enemy within.───→here5.1───→5.12Renounce the wish for fruit, not the fruit.

RamsukhdasclassicalG

Equanimity in everythingbetween

2.48Yoga itself is just sameness of mind.───→here5.1───→5.18See a sage, a cow, a dog as one.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

4.36Knowledge ferries you across the ocean.───→here5.1───→5.4Insight and practice are not two paths.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

3.27The modes act, but ego claims the deed.───→here5.1───→5.8The knower thinks, 'I do nothing at all.'

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here5.1───→

Ekrasmodernmeditation

Meditation — the dhyāna tourapproach · v2

───→here5.1───→6.10Solitary seat

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathapproach · v2

───→here5.1───→7.16Four kinds of bhakta

ĀnandagiriclassicalI

Bhakti carries jñāna, never parallelapproach

───→here5.1───→7.1Upāsya and tat-pada in apposition. Anchor.

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousapproach

───→here5.1───→7.4Two-fold prakṛti is the Lord's own power.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesapproach

───→here5.1───→7.1The chapter elaborates the prior bhajana-line.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherapproach

───→here5.1───→7.1A bow to the bliss-cloud, Nanda's son, opens seven.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartapproach

───→here5.1───→6.30See Me everywhere, I am never lost.

VallabhaclassicalC

Drop the doer, not the deedstation

───→here5.1───→

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesstation

───→here5.1───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalA

The carama-śloka as retroactive bracketbetween

2.12From here to 18.66: one Krishna-utterance.───→here5.1───→5.16Knowledge dispels what mā śucaḥ will close.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalG

Three yogas — three angles on one configurationbetween

4.33Knowledge-rite outranks mere material rites.───→here5.1───→5.4Whoever sees them as one, sees rightly.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalH

Mā śucaḥ — the inclusio of evolving griefbetween

2.11First grief — chapter-1 cowardice — closed.───→here5.1───→5.16Knowledge-darkness cleared — not yet refuge.

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderbetween

2.39The yoga-mind is just the sāṅkhya-mind, retold.───→here5.1───→5.4Only the foolish call the two paths different.

RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)approach

───→here5.1───→7.4Two natures of the Lord: matter and selves.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionapproach

───→here5.1───→7.17I am dearest to him.

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśaapproach

───→here5.1───→7.4Lower nature: matter.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata simileapproach

───→here5.1───→7.18He is My self; I cannot hold without him.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsapproach

───→here5.1───→7.14Those who take refuge cross the māyā.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalI

9.24 — the standing citation for ārādhyaapproach

───→here5.1───→7.21Deity-worship: His self-arrangement of grace.

VallabhaclassicalB

Grace alone — the technical markapproach

───→here5.1───→7.18The wise one is Myself, by grace alone.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentaryapproach

───→here5.1───→6.47Six chapters of aphorism close at this verse.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinestation

───→here5.1───→

ŚrīdharaclassicalE

Inner cleansing reconciles work and knowingbetween

4.39Faith earns knowing; work readies that faith.───→here5.1───→5.5See sāṅkhya and yoga as one — see truly.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homeapproach

───→here5.1───→6.47Be a devotee: that is the meaning.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessapproach

───→here5.1───→7.14Undivided love crosses the great mist.

Gauravmodernkarma_yoga_hand

Karma Yoga Handbetween

3.27Palm, kartala. Akartritva, non-doership. 'Prakriteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani s───→here5.1───→5.18Ring finger. Samadrishti. 'Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini, shuni ch

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidbetween

3.3'Loke'smin dvi-vidha nishtha pura prokta mayanagha, jnana-yogena samkhyanam karm───→here5.1───→5.4'Sankhya-yogau prithag balah pravadanti na panditah.' Only the immature say sank

Śabda · lemmas (16 unique · 16 occurrences)

शंससि √śaṃs — to praise, declare (verbal root) · present indicative 2nd person singular verb
ब्रूहि √brū — to speak, say (verbal root) · present imperative 2nd person singular verb
कृष्ण kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa; black, dark · vocative masculine singular noun · also at 1.1, 1.28, 1.29, 1.30, 1.32, 1.41 +10

show all 16

संन्यासम् saṃnyāsa — renunciation, casting off (sam- + ni- + √as 'throw down') · accusative masculine singular noun
कर्मणाम् karman — action, deed, the law of action · genitive neuter plural noun
पुनर् punar — again, once more
योगम् yoga — yoga; union, discipline, application · accusative masculine singular noun
च ca — and; (homonym: also the consonant ca)
यत् yad — which, who (relative pronoun) · nominative neuter singular noun
श्रेयः śreyas — better, superior; the higher good (vs preyas, the pleasant) · nominative neuter singular noun
एतयोः etad — this (proximal demonstrative) · genitive neuter dual noun
एकम् eka — one, alone, single · nominative neuter singular noun
तत् tad — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · accusative neuter singular noun
मे mad — I, me (1st person pronoun stem); also: to rejoice (verbal root) · dative singular noun
सु su — good, well; auspicious prefix
निश्चितम् niścitam — certainly, decisively (adv. from niścita)

Praśna · so what (7)

01When a teacher gives two instructions that cannot both be followed at once, is the student obligated to resolve the contradiction themselves or to ask for hierarchical clarification — and what does it reveal about a tradition that its scripture enacts this very moment?
02Arjuna qualifies his question with 'suniścita' (without residual doubt) — what is the difference between a spiritually valid question and a demand for premature certainty, and how does Kṛṣṇa's answer in 5.2 actually sidestep the either/or framing?

show all 7

03Each school hears a different question in this verse: Śaṅkara hears a logical impasse, Rāmānuja hears a practical efficiency question, Madhva hears a concern about battle-fitness, Vallabha hears an unresolved relationship to Kṛṣṇa's own nature — what does it mean that the same mūla (root verse) opens all four inquiries simultaneously?
04If karma-saṃnyāsa (renouncing action) and karma-yoga (performing action) are genuinely opposed in form (viruddha-svarūpa), how can the Gītā hold that the liberated sage does both — acting outwardly while being inwardly unattached? Is that resolution available to Arjuna now?
05Chapter 5 opens with a question that was supposedly answered in chapters 3 and 4; Madhusūdana explains this as a different questioner-state (dasha-bheda) arising. What does it mean for a teaching to need re-asking — and how does the tradition preserve rather than suppress these revisitations?
06The verse positions saṃnyāsa and yoga as two things Kṛṣṇa 'commends' (śaṃsasi); what is the pedagogical role of a teacher who genuinely commends two mutually exclusive paths rather than simply mandating one?
07Arjuna says 'tell me one' (tad ekaṃ brūhi) — is this a binary demand that the Gītā ultimately honours, or does Kṛṣṇa's actual answer in 5.2 transform the question rather than answer it on its own terms?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When facing two valid but mutually exclusive commitments — a demanding career and a contemplative practice, for instance — Śaṅkara's framing suggests that the intelligent question is not 'can I do both?' but 'which is more praiseworthy for my actual stage of development?' Discernment (viveka) here means auditing your current inner capacity honestly before choosing the path, not oscillating between them out of indecision.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

Rāmānuja's lens redirects the efficiency question toward service: if you are choosing between two forms of devoted work, ask which one creates less obstruction to loving attention (bhakti-yoga readiness) rather than which is abstractly superior. The ease (saukarya) and speed (śaīghrya) criteria are practical — use them to choose the form of service that actually sustains your relational energy toward what matters most.

show all 6

Dvaita

Madhva's reading insists that apparent contradictions from an authoritative source must be resolved by waiting for the source to define its own terms rather than projecting your own resolution. In professional or mentorship contexts: when a trusted guide seems to give opposing instructions, name the tension directly (as Arjuna does) and ask for the governing principle — do not silently pick one instruction and discard the other.

Śuddhādvaita

Vallabha's Puṣṭi-mārga reading suggests that the confusion between 'renounce action' and 'perform action' often dissolves when you locate whose action it is. When you are unclear whether to step back or step forward in a creative or relational situation, ask whether you are acting from personal agenda or from love for the person or project in front of you; the second orientation resolves the apparent choice.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's precise framing — mutual exclusion (viruddha-svarūpa) means both cannot operate simultaneously — is directly applicable to any situation where two virtues genuinely conflict (honesty vs. kindness, loyalty vs. fairness). The mature response is not to pretend the conflict doesn't exist but to name it clearly and ask the person you trust most for the one that is most settled (suniścita) for this situation.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana's sequential model — purify first, then renounce, then enquire — maps cleanly onto personal transformation arcs: acting skillfully (karma-yoga phase) to clarify your own values and capacity, then voluntarily reducing external commitments (saṃnyāsa phase) to create unobstructed space for deep inquiry. Trying to compress or skip stages produces the very confusion Arjuna is expressing; the right question is 'which stage am I actually in?', not 'which path is better in the abstract?'

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 5, Verse 1: Krishna to Arjuna — Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga