Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Verse 2

Gita 5.2

संन्यास:, कर्मयोगः, च, निःश्रेयसकरौ, उभौ,
तयोः, तु, कर्मसंन्यासात्, कर्मयोगः, विशिष्यते।।2।।

Gita 5.2

(Bhagwan uvaach)

SannyaasH, karmyogH, ch, niHshreyaskarau, ubhau,
TayoH, tu, karmsannyaasaat’, karmyogH, vishishyate ||2||

(God said)

Translation: Because of not finding a Tatvdarshi saint and as a result not being aware of the true bhakti (sannyaasH) inspired by the urge to attain God a devotee’s, who has obtained sadhna opposite to the scriptures, departure into the forest on abandoning home, or on abandoning action sitting in one place closing nose, ears etc, or doing meditation (ch) and (karmyogH) also doing sadhna devoid of the injunctions of the scriptures while performing actions (ubhau) both are useless i.e. are not auspicious and are not to be done. Those who do sadhna according to the injunctions of the scriptures and taking Sanyas/renunciation live in monastery and do not take karm sanyas/renunciation of actions, and those who after getting married stay at home, the way of worship of both of them (niHshreyaskarau) is not inauspicious (tu) but (tayoH) in above-mentioned these two also (karmsannyaasaat’) if even after staying in a monastery one is work-thief, then compared to that Karm Sanyas (KarmyogH) Karmyog i.e. doing scripture-based sadhna while performing worldly actions (vishishyate) is superior. (2)

Gita 5.2: Because of not finding a Tatvdarshi saint and as a result not being aware of the true bhakti, a devotee’s, who has obtained sadhna opposite to the scriptures, departure into the forest on abandoning home inspired by the urge to attain God, or abandoning actions sitting in one place closing nose, ears etc or doing meditation, and also doing sadhna devoid of the injunctions of the scriptures while performing actions, both are useless i.e. are not auspicious and are not to be done. Those who do sadhna according to the injunctions of the scriptures and taking Sanyas (renunciation) live in monastery, and do not take karm sanyas (renunciation of actions), and those who after getting married stay at home, the way of worship of both of them is not inauspicious, but in above-mentioned these two also if even after staying in a monastery one is work-thief, then compared to that Karm Sanyas, Karmyog i.e. doing scripture-based sadhna while performing worldly actions is superior.

This same evidence is given in Gita Chapter 18 Verse 41 to 46 that the individuals of the four castes (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudr) whilst during their natural tasks attain supreme success i.e. complete salvation. Regarding supreme success it has been clarified in Verse 46 that the Supreme God from whom all the living beings have originated, from whom this entire universe is pervading, by worshipping that Supreme God through one’s natural actions, one attains supreme success i.e. whilst doing actions a true worshipper attains complete salvation. It has been clarified in Gita Chapter 18 Verse 47 that compared to one who does worship opposed to the scriptures (Karm Sanyas), one who worships according to the injunctions of the scriptures (while performing actions) is superior because a worshipper who performs his actions does not incur sin. This also proves that it is a sin to do Hath after taking Karm Sanyas. It has been clarified in Verse 48 that one should not abandon one’s natural actions even if some sin is perceived in it. Like, living beings get killed while farming etc-etc.

Meaning: The meaning of the above-mentioned Verse 2 is that the worshippers who are not in accord with the scriptures are of two types: one is Karm Sanyasi; second, Karmyogi. Because of absence of a Tatvdarshi Saint and being opposed to the scriptures the way of worship of both of them is inauspicious i.e. is not beneficial and is not to be done. Like in Gita Chapter 16 Verse 23, it is said that abandoning the injunctions of the scriptures, arbitrary behaviour i.e. arbitrary way of worship is useless. In Verse 24 it is said that the religious practice of the path of bhakti which is to be done and which is not to be done, for that the scriptures alone should be considered to be the evidence. It is mentioned in the scriptures (Gita and Vedas) that for complete salvation find a Tatvdarshi Saint. Obtain the way of bhakti with courtesy from him only. Evidence – Gita Chapter 4 Verse 34, Yajurved Gita Chapter 40 Mantra 10 and 13. In both of these a Karmyogi is better than a Karm Sanyasi because when a Karmyogi, whose way of worship is opposite to the scriptures, gets the satsang (spiritual discourse) of a Tatvdarshi saint, he immediately gives up his scripture-opposed way of worship and gets his welfare done by following scripture-based way of worship. But both the types of Karm Sanyasi, Hath-yogi (who forcefully practices physical discipline), who even while staying at home, closing their ears and eyes sit in one place and practice Hath-yog, and those who abandoning home practice the aforesaid Hath-yog, out of ego, do not accept the knowledge delivered by a Tatvdarshi saint because they become arrogant of their renunciation and the supernatural powers obtained from Hath-yog. Even the pride of renouncing home is a hinderance in attaining true bhakti. Amongst crores of Karm Sanyasis seldom does someone accept the true bhakti. Therefore a Karmyogi worshipper, who acts against the scriptures, is better than a Karm Sanyasi worshipper who acts against the scriptures.

This same evidence is given in Gita Chapter 18 Verse 41 to 46 that the individuals of the four castes (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudr) whilst during their natural tasks attain supreme success i.e. complete salvation. Regarding supreme success it has been clarified in Verse 46 that the Supreme God from whom all the living beings have originated, from whom this entire universe is pervading, by worshipping that Supreme God through one’s natural actions, one attains supreme success i.e. whilst doing actions a true worshipper attains complete salvation. It has been clarified in Gita Chapter 18 Verse 47 that compared to one who does worship opposed to the scriptures (Karm Sanyas), one who worships according to the injunctions of the scriptures is superior. It has been clarified in Verse 48 that one should not abandon one’s natural actions even if some sin is perceived in it. Like, living beings get killed while farming etc-etc.

Important: - Two types of ways of worship have been described in Gita Chapter 2 Verse 39 to 53 and Gita Chapter 3 Verse 3. Regarding them it is said that the way of worship told by me is my opinion, which both of them are inauspicious and not to be done. Know the complete knowledge which is the giver of complete salvation from a Tatvdarshi Saint; evidence is in Gita Chapter 4 Verse 33-34. This same evidence is in Gita Chapter 6 Verse 46. In this it is said that compared to a Karmyogi whose way of worship is opposite to the scriptures, a scripture-based yogi is superior.