Chapter 5 · Verse 3

Path of Renunciation

ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति। निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramuchyate

Word Meanings

jñeyaḥ saḥ nitya sanyāsī yaḥ na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati nirdvandvaḥ hi mahā-bāho sukham bandhāt pramuchyate

Translation

One who neither hates nor desires should be known as a perpetual renunciant; for such a person, free from all dualities, O mighty-armed one, is easily liberated from bondage.

Commentary

ज्ञेयः should be known? सः he? नित्यसंन्यासी perpetual ascetic? यः who? न not? द्वेष्टि hates? न not? काङ्क्षति desires? निर्द्वन्द्वः one free from the pairs of opposites? हि verily? महाबाहो O mightyarmed? सुखम् easily? बन्धात् from bondage? प्रमुच्यते is set free.Commentary A man does not become a Sannyasi by merely giving up actions because of laziness or ignorance or some family arrel or calamity or unemployment. A true Sannyasi is not a hypocritical coward.The Karma Yogi who neither hates pain and the objects which give him pain? nor desires pleasure and the objects that give him pleasure? who has neither attachment nor aversion to any senseobject and who has risen above the pairs of heat and cold? joy and sorrow? success and failure? victory and defeat? gain and loss? praise and censure? honour and dishonour? should be known as a perpetual Sannyasi though he is ever engaged in action.One need not have taken Sannyasa formally but if he has the above mental attitutde? he is a perpetual Sannyasi. Mere ochrecoloured robe cannot make one a Sannyasi. What is wanted is a pure heart with true renunciation of egoism and desires. Physical renunciation of objects is no renunciation at all. (Cf.VI.1)