Karma Sanyasa

 By Shri Keasava Rao Tadiptari

In Fifth AdhyAya, Karma-saMnyAsa and Karma yoga are compared. We will first face the following three questions.

What is Karma? What is Karma sanyAsa? What is Karma yoga?

1. What is Karma?

Karma is action or act or deed executed by mind or word or body along with the universal rules and laws and how they are applicable, that are clubbed with the fruits, granted by the Lord, leading to the kAraNa, kArya bhAva that forms the chain of cause and effect resulting in bandha/bondage.

2. What is Karma sanyAsa?

nyAsa or sanyAsa/saMnyAsa are kind of similar. saMnyAsa is “samyak nyAsa” (giving up in a proper way). Karma sanyAsa is performing the Karma by giving up the negative things that can go with karma.

Multiple aspects are given in various ways in Geeta. Some of them are as follows.

2a. Karma phala tyAga or giving up the desire for the fruits. Note that this does not mean “not having the fruits or result of the action”. But it is realizing that we do not have the control over the fruits and have to accept the fruits that are given by the Lord.

tyaktvA karmaphalAsaN^gaM nityatR^ipto nirAshrayaH |

karmaNyabhipravR^itto.api naiva kiJNchitkaroti saH || 4-20||

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः॥ ४-२०॥ tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṁ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ |

karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ || 4-20||

(Meaning: By realizing that the Jiva is nityatṛpta and nirāśraya, he should give up the thought that he is independent and also give up excessive affinity to the fruits of action. Then even though he is engaged in action, he is not really doing anything independently. - 4-20)

Here the split can be

नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः (nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ) or

नित्यतृप्तोऽनिराश्रयः (nityatṛpto'nirāśrayaḥ)

2a-1: nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ = One who is pratibimba of Paramatma, who is nityatṛpta (ever content) and nirāśraya (not dependent on any one). Here both the terms are applied to Parmatma and Jiva is only His reflection and He himslf is not nityatR^ipta and nirAshraya.

2a-2: nityatṛpto'nirāśrayaḥ = One who is nityatṛpta (ever content with Paramatma) and not nirAshraya meaning not without support since he has the support of Paramatma. He is content that Parmatma is the one making him do everything. So, if he gives up the excessive affinityto the action and its fruits, then even though he engages in doing the karma, he does not have karma bandha as though he is not really doing that karma.

2b. kAma-krodhAdi tyAga - giving up the kAma (desire), krodha (anger) etc.

shaknotIhaiva yaH soDhuM prAksharIravimokShaNAt |

kAmakrodhodbhavaM vegaM sa yuktaH sa sukhI naraH || 5-23||

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्। कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः॥ ५-२३॥ śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prākśarīravimokṣaṇāt |

kāmakrodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ || 5-23||

(Meaning: Only in this human body, it is possible to conquer or overcome the harm and injury caused by kAma and krodha. So, before the fall of this human body, one who conquers the fickle-minded-mindedness, resulting from kAma and krodha, will aquire the j~nAnasAdhana and will be blissful. - 5-23)

kAmakrodhaviyuktAnAM yatInAM yatachetasAm |

abhito brahmanirbANaM vartate viditAtmanAm || 5-26||

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्। अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्बाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्॥ ५-२६॥ kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yatacetasām |

abhito brahmanirbāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām || 5-26||

(Meaning: The brahaj~nAnis, devoid of kAma and krodha, exerting full effort, by controlling the mind, will be able to perceive the aprAkRuta Lord every where and the Lord will protect them. - 5-26)

nirmAnamohA jitasaN^gadoShA

adhyAtmanityA vinivR^ittakAmAH |

dvandvairvimuktAH sukhaduHkhasaN^j~nai\-

rgachchhantyamUDhAH padamavyayaM tat || 15-5||

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।

द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसङ्ज्ञै- र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥ १५-५॥

nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ | dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṅjñai- rgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṁ tat || 15-5||

(Meaning: The mokSha-seekers, who give up ego and mithyAj~nAna, overcome the flaw of excessive pull towards materialistic things, steadfast in acquiring Paramatma tattvaj~nAna, do not even run after desires, free from the duals like joy and sorrow, avoid the effect of Rajas and tamas, will be able to reach the indestructible svarUpa of Paramatma. - 15-5)

AshApAshashatairbaddhAH kAmakrodhaparAyaNAH |

Ihante kAmabhogArthamanyAyenArthasaJNchayAn || 16-12||

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः। ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्॥ १६-१२॥ āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ |

īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān || 16-12||

(Meaning: While describing Asuri (demonic) qualities, such demonic natured ones are tied with hundreds of chains of desire, always engaged in kAma and krodha, desire to acquire wealth by evil methods so as to enjoy the mean desires. - 16-12)

trividhaM narakasyedaM dvAraM nAshanamAtmanaH |

kAmaH krodhastathA lobhastasmAdetattrayaM tyajet || 16-21||

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः। कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्॥ १६-२१॥ trividhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanamātmanaḥ |

kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṁ tyajet || 16-21||

(Meaning: For a Jiva, there are three doors for the hell - kAma (deep desire or strong longing), krodha (wrath or rage) and lobha (miserliness and greed). That is why, one has to give up these three. - 16-21)

etairvimuktaH kaunteya tamodvAraistribhirnaraH |

AcharatyAtmanaH shreyastato yAti parAM gatim || 16-22||

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः। आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥ १६-२२॥ etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ |

ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṁ gatim || 16-22||

(Meaning: Oh Arjuna, one who is freed from these three causes of hell, will be able to accomplish his puruSharthas and will reach the mukti. - 16-22)

ahaN^kAraM balaM darpaM kAmaM krodhaM parigraham |

vimuchya nirmamaH shAnto brahmabhUyAya kalpate || 18-53||

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्। विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥ १८-५३॥ ahaṅkāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ parigraham | vimucya nirmamaḥ śānto brahmabhūyāya kalpate || 18-53||

(Meaning: By giving up ego, show of strength on the weak, arrogance, desire, anger, delusion, affinity for mean things, one will be detached to the bonds, and calm even when provocation is there and so will be able to focus in parabrahma and reach him eventually. - 18-53)

2c. dehendriya-abhimAna tyAga (Giving up the excessive affinity to the body and sense organs/sense objects).

yaH sarvatrAnabhisnehastattatprApya shubhAshubham |

nAbhinandati na dveShTi tasya praj~nA pratiShThitA || 2-57||

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम्। नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता॥ २-५७॥ yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehastattatprāpya śubhāśubham |

nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 2-57||

(Meaning: He is considered aparokShaj~nAni, who is not attached to materialistic things and does not get elated when good happens and does not get depressed when bad happens. - 2-57)

yadA saMharate chAyaM kUrmo.aN^gAnIva sarvashaH |

indriyANIndriyArthebhyastasya praj~nA pratiShThitA || 2-58||

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता॥ २-५८॥

yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 2-58||

(Meaning: He is considered aparokShaj~nAni, when he withdraws sense organs from sense objects effortlessly just like a tortoise that withdraws its limbs. - 2-58)

viShayA vinivartante nirAhArasya dehinaH |

rasavarjaM raso.apyasya paraM dR^iShTvA nivartate || 2-59||

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः। रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते॥ २-५९॥

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |

rasavarjaṁ raso'pyasya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate || 2-59||

(Meaning: When the embodied does fasting, the ability of the sense organs to enjoy the sense objects gets diminished. But the desire to enjoy the sense objects will still be there. When the person gets the Bhagavaddarshana, even that will get removed. - 2-59)

2d. How to achieve these two -

kAmakrodhAdi-tyAga (or giving up the very desire)

dehendriya-abhimAna tyAga (giving up excessive attachment to the body)

nirAshIryatachittAtmA tyaktasarvaparigrahaH |

shArIraM kevalaM karma kurvan nA.apnoti kilbiSham || 4-21||

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन् नाऽप्नोति किल्बिषम्॥ ४-२१॥ nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ |

śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nā'pnoti kilbiṣam || 4-21||

(Meaning: It is done by controling the sense organs (yatashittatmA will become nirAshi (desireless one) and tyaktasarvaparigraha (free from the attachment to body an sense organs). Such a person, even by performing mundane karmas, will not acquire the sins. - 4-21)

2e. Karma-svAtantrya-abhimAna-tyAga (Giving up the thought that one has absolute Free will in karma)

gatasaN^gasya muktasya j~nAnAvasthitachetasaH |

yaj~nAyA.acharataH karma samagraM pravilIyate || 4-23||

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाऽचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते॥ ४-२३॥ gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ |

yajñāyā'carataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate || 4-23||

(Meaning: The Jiva is not tainted by the karmas, when he does them with no affinity to fruits of action, without the svAtantrya-abhimAna, with the realization that Brahman is svatantra karta and nityatRupta and to please the Lord. - 4-23)

This also includes 2a (Karma-phala-sanga-tyAga).

Here the word mukta means “free from”. In TAtparya, Acharya interprets as one free from svAtantrya abhimAna.

In bhAshya, Acharya interprets as “sharIra-Adi-abhimAna-tyAga” (2c).

2f. KAmya-karma-nyAsa (Giving up the Karmas, that are done with desire)

kAmyAnAM karmaNAM nyAsaM saMnyAsaM kavayo viduH |

sarvakarmaphalatyAgaM prAhustyAgaM vichakShaNAH || 18-2||

काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः॥ १८-२॥ kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ saṁnyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ |

sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṁ prāhustyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ || 18-2||

(Meaning: Giving up the karmas that are kAmya and doing other karmas without desire for fruits is Karma-saMnyAsa. Giving up the desire for fruits in all the karmas is karma-tyAga. - 18-2)

2g. Who is really sanyAsi - this is defined in the following.

j~neyaH sa nityasaMnyAsI yo na dveShTi na kAN^kShati |

nirdvandvo hi mahAbAho sukhaM bandhAtpramuchyate || 5-3||

ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति। निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते॥ ५-३॥ jñeyaḥ sa nityasaṁnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati |

nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukhaṁ bandhātpramucyate || 5-3||

(Meaning: He is nitya-saMnyAsi, who does not hate, does not desire, does not do kAmya karmas, does not get afflicted by duals like joy and sorrow, etc. He gets freed from the bondage with ease. So Arjuna, you do the war. - 5-3)

3. What is Karma yoga?

Doing proper Karma-anuShThAna with bhagavadArAdhanA bhAva, with a right understanding that Karma does not bind ParamAtma and He alone is svatantra and Jiva is never svatantra.

4. The Karma-saMnyAsa is praised in

yadR^ichchhAlAbhasantuShTo dvandvAtIto vimatsaraH |

samaH siddhAvasiddhau cha kR^itvA.api na nibadhyate || 4-22||

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वाऽपि न निबध्यते॥ ४-२२॥ yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ |

samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvā'pi na nibadhyate || 4-22||

(Meaning: One who is content with what is graced by the providence, not afflicted by duals, meaning does not get eleated when positives happen and does not get depressed when negatives happen, keeps calm whether things happen or not, and does not feel sad for not possessing things, such sAdhaka does not get bound by karmas even if he does the karmas. - 4-22)

5. The Karma yoga is praised in

yogasthaH kuru karmANi saN^gaM tyaktvA dhanaJNjaya |

siddhyasiddhyoH samo bhUtvA samatvaM yoga uchyate || 2-48||

niyataM kuru karma tvaM karma jyAyo hyakarmaNaH |

sharIrayAtrA.api cha te na prasiddhyedakarmaNaH || 3-8||

evaM j~nAtvA kR^itaM karma pUrvairapi mumukShubhiH |

kuru karmaiva tasmAttvaM pUrvaiH pUrvataraM kR^itam || 4-15||

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय।

सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते॥ २-४८॥

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya |

siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate || 2-48||

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः। शरीरयात्राऽपि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः॥ ३-८॥

niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ |

śarīrayātrā'pi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ || 3-8||

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्॥ ४-१५॥

evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ |

kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam || 4-15||

(Meaning: Yoga is nothing but the jnAnopAya or very technique of knowledge, which is in deed giving up the affinity to the fruits of action and treating the success and failure alike. Oh Dhananjaya do the Karma by adopting such Yoga. - 2-48

You dothe Karma as prescribed according to your varNa and Ashrama as the KarmAnuShThAna (performing such karma) is better than karmatyAga (giving up the karma) as it is well known that without doing the Karma, you can not even survive. - 3-8

Even your ancestors have known me this way and performed the karma desiring for the increase of bliss. So, in the same manner do the karma like what they did all along. Do not refrain from your duties and proper karma. - 4-15)

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In the beginning of third adhyAya, Arjuna raised an objection that if shama dama filled j~nAna is better than war endowed with rAga and dvesha, why He asked Arjuna to fight such war rather than take the path of peaeful j~nAna. Sri Krishna answered Arjuna thus. He is karma yogi and not j~nAna yogi and so he has to fight and do his karma.

In the fifth adhyAya, Arjuna raised an objection, dealing with karma itself. If giving up the Karma that involves Raga and dvesha is better than doing the Karma with the thought of BhagavadArAdhana, then why do the war that involves Raga and dvesha even if it is done as BhagavadArAdhana?

It is answered by -

shreyAn svadharmo viguNaH paradharmAtsvanuShThitAt |

svadharme nidhanaM shreyaH paradharmo bhayAvahaH || 3-35||

श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः॥ ३-३५॥

śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt |

svadharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ || 3-35||

(Meaning: Doing one’s own varNa-Ashrama-uchita dharma, even if it is not perfect is preferable to practicing some one else’s duties. It is superior, auspicious and beneficial to do one’s own varNAshrama dharma, even if one is destined to lose life in that. It is harmful to take up what is inappropriate and goes against one’s duty. The essence is that even though there is scope for rAga and dveSha in partaking the dharmayuddha, Arjuna has to do that and not go for some yati dharma. - 3-35)

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Compared to Karma sanyAsa, Karma yoga is better.

If we mean “rAga-dvesha-tyAga” is sanyasa and doing one’s own duty with PujA bhAva towards Lord is Karma yoga, then following pramANa upholds it.

dvandvatyAgAttu saMnyAsAt matpUjaiva garIyasI - iti vachanAt.

द्वन्द्वत्यागात्तु संन्यासात् मत्पूजैव गरीयसी - इति वचनात्।

dvandvatyāgāttu saṁnyāsāt matpūjaiva garīyasī - iti vacanāt|

(Meaning: Karmayoga in the form of doing one’s duty as the worship of Sri Krishna so as to please Him is superior to Sanyasa in the form of renouncing the duals like the rAga (affinity) and dvesha (hatred).)

On the other hand, if we say that Karma sanyAsa means SanyAsAshrama or it is for sanyAsis only and Karma yoga means Gruhasthashrama or it is for Gruhasthas only, then we get contradictions and conflicts with other pramANas. Such wrong meaning should not be done. The following indicate how the contradictions arise if we go that wrong way.

tAni etAni tapAMsi vA avarANi | nyAsa eva atyarechayat | iti cha

तानि एतानि तपांसि वा अवराणि। न्यास एव अत्यरेचयत्। इति च

tāni etāni tapāṁsi vā avarāṇi | nyāsa eva atyarecayat | iti ca

(Meaning: Karmas like agnyAdhAna and vratas like Chandrayana, which are acts for GruhasthAshrama are inferior to the karmas meant for yatyAshrama.)

\"saMnyAsastu turIyo yo niShkriyAkhyaH sadharmakaH |

na tasmAduttamo dharmo loke kashchana vidyate |

tadbhakto.api hi yad gachChet tadgR^ihastho na dhArmikaH |

madbhaktishcha viraktistadadhikAro nigadyate |

yadA.adhikAro bhavati brahmachAryapi pravrajet\" || \- iti nAradIye |

"संन्यासस्तु तुरीयो यो निष्क्रियाख्यः सधर्मकः।

न तस्मादुत्तमो धर्मो लोके कश्चन विद्यते।

तद्भक्तोऽपि हि यद् गच्छेत् तद्गृहस्थो न धार्मिकः।

मद्भक्तिश्च विरक्तिस्तदधिकारो निगद्यते।

यदाऽधिकारो भवति ब्रह्मचार्यपि प्रव्रजेत्"॥ - इति नारदीये।

"saṁnyāsastu turīyo yo niṣkriyākhyaḥ sadharmakaḥ |

na tasmāduttamo dharmo loke kaścana vidyate |

tadbhakto'pi hi yad gacchet tadgṛhastho na dhārmikaḥ |

madbhaktiśca viraktistadadhikāro nigadyate |

yadā'dhikāro bhavati brahmacāryapi pravrajet" || - iti nāradīye |

(Meaning: The Narada purana says the following. The fourth Ashrama, sanyasa, is called nishkriya, because there are no kAmyakarmas, but still it has many scripturally prescribed duties. Further, there are no dharmas superior to sanyAsa dharma. Even the dhArmika gRuhastha will be able to acquire what a devoted sanyasi gets. Bhagavadbhakti, viShaya-virakti give eligibility for taking up sanyasa. If that eligibility is there, even a brahmachari can become sanyasi. )

\"brahmacaryAdeva pravrajet yadahareva virajet \" iti ca |

"ब्रह्मचर्यादेव प्रव्रजेत् यदहरेव विरजेत् " इति च।

"brahmacaryādeva pravrajet yadahareva virajet " iti ca |

(Meaning: When vairagya comes, then itself, one can go from brahmacharya to sanyasa.)

\"saMnyAse tu turIye vai prItirmama garIyasI |

yeShAmatrAdhikAro na teShAM karmeti nishchayaH\" ||

\- ityAdeshcha brAhme | ato nAtrA.ashramasaMnyAsa uktaH ||

"संन्यासे तु तुरीये वै प्रीतिर्मम गरीयसी।

येषामत्राधिकारो न तेषां कर्मेति निश्चयः"॥

- इत्यादेश्च ब्राह्मे। अतो नात्राऽश्रमसंन्यास उक्तः॥

"saṁnyāse tu turīye vai prītirmama garīyasī | yeṣāmatrādhikāro na teṣāṁ karmeti niścayaḥ" ||

- ityādeśca brāhme | ato nātrā'śramasaṁnyāsa uktaḥ ||

(Meaning: Brahma purana says that the Lord declared that He is most pleased by sanyAsa Ashrama, which is fourth. Those eligible for that need not perform kAmya karmas.

For all the reasons, mentioned above, the Gita verse is not talking about sanyasa Ashrama, rather it is about the karma sanyasa.)