When we analyse the entire gītā, we will find that neither karma-yoga nor sannyāsa is predominantly emphasised over the other. Both occupy sufficient space to indicate that Gītācāryā recognises the importance of both as the means for moksa. Even though jnānam is the direct means, but for the unprepared ones, karma-yoga is the means. In gītā 6.3 it said that when one wants to attain contemplative disposition (in meditation context), karma-yoga is the means. But for one who is already contemplative, then complete dispassion makes one a yoga-ārūdha (abides in oneness).
In the beginning of 18th chapter Arjuna asks a question about the differences between sannyāsa and tyāga. Referring to his question in the 3rd chapter, he wanted to know which of the two, sannyāsa and karma is better. “If you consider knowledge is better than action, Krsna, why do you enjoin me to do this terrible action (to fight the war), Keśava? By these contradictory statements, you seem to confuse my mind. Tell me for certain one thing by which I will gain liberation.” (gītā 3.1-2). Karma is to be done and jñāna is something that has to be gained by pramāna. Since they are two different pursuits altogether, how can sannyāsa and karma-yoga gives the same result? Then Lord Krsna again talked about sannyāsa and karma-yoga, saying that what is gained by a sannyāsī is gained by a karma-yogī, therefore both of them are one and the same (gītā 5.5). But still, sannyāsa is difficult to accomplish for the one who has no yoga, while if you have karma-yoga, it is easy (gītā 5.6).
Then Lord Krsna again talks about sannyāsa and defines real sannyāsa as not mere renunciation of karma but renunciation of all actions through knowledge. The one who does karma (under the given circumstances) without depending upon the result of those actions is truly a sannyāsī. The one who merely gives up the ritualistic karma or the secular activities (without the proper attitude) is not a sannyāsī (gītā 6.1).
After this he talks about meditation saying that one should not think of anything else except ātmā (gītā 6.25). Arjuna complains that his mind is nothing but agitation as difficult to control as wind (gītā 6.34).
Lord Krsna validates his problems saying that there is no doubt, and then assures him that it can be handled by practice and by dispassion (gītā 6.35). Dispassion is nothing but objectivity, appreciating things as they are. And practice - abhyāsa is nothing but discipline of the mind and its ways of thinking. Teaching of brahma-vidyā goes on and yoga goes on. And in this last chapter, Arjuna asks the same questions in different words.
arjuna uvāca sanyāsasya mahābāho tattvam icchāmi veditum | tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthak keśiniṣūdana ||18.1||
Arjuna said:
Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa)! The slayer of Keśī! The mighty armed! I want to know distinctly the truth of sannyāsa and tyāga.
Both the words sannyāsa and tyāga means renunciation, and Lord Krsna has used both throughout the gītā. Now Arjuna wants to know if there is any distinction that Krsna is making between sannyāsa and tyāga. The basis for this question comes from some verses like gītā 4.20, he speaks of the one who gives up his attachment to karma-phala, and thus being not dependent upon anything else, is happy with himself. Here, tyāga is the renunciation of karma-phala, referred to karma-yogī. But in gītā 4.21 he talks about the one who has given up all ownership towards all objects in the world, doing action just to sustain the body, the word tyāga is used in the sense of sarva-karma-sannyāsa (real sannyāsī) giving up the doership and enjoyership as the result of ātmā-jñānam. In gītā 6.1 he even equated karma-yogī to sannyāsī by saying the one who performs action because it is to be done, not motivated by result of action, is the real sannyāsī and he is the karma-yogī. And so on. All this looks confusing. The words sannyāsa and tyāga are used interchangeably, sometimes differently.
We have to remember that Arjuna’s doubt is always between taking the formal sannyāsa (vividisā sannyāsa) so he can avoid fighting the war, or karma-yoga. And now he still does not fully understand the meaning of sannyāsa, therefore this eighteenth chapter elaborates on sannyāsa. Apart from sannyāsa, Lord Krsna also talks about the definition of brāhmana, ksatriya, vaiśya and śudra. Then again he talks about three gunas. All these we will find in this chapter. Now let us see the answer from Lord Krsna.
śrībhagavān uvāca kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ sannyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ | sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṁ prāhustyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ ||18.2||
Śrī Bhagavān said:
The wise know sannyāsa as renunciation of actions for desired objects; the learned people say renunciation of the result of all actions is tyāga.
To understand what kinds of karma to be given up for a formal renunciate - sannyāsa, we should understand different types of karma enjoined in Veda. Nitya-karma is to be performed daily like sandhyā-vandana is done everyday at sunrise, noon, and sunset by a person who has been initiated into the gāyatrī-mantra. Once he gets married, the agnihotra and other karma come into the picture. Then we have naimittika-karma, those are done on a given occasion like on the day of eclipse, certain karma is enjoined. These two types are mandatory. On the other hand kāmya-karma may or may not be done, only if one has desire for the result, like putrakāmesti only is done by one who desires for a son. Result of kāmya-karma is clear as to what we desire, but for nittya-naimittika-karma, the only general result is heaven, since they are the removal of general pāpa. But when they are performed without keeping that result in view, then the result will convert to purity of the mind.
There are two more types of karma we should know. One is nisiddha-karma, actions that we are not supposed to do / prohibited such as not hurting others and not consuming alcohol. These actions are prohibited because they produce pāpa.
Then another type of karma is prāyaścitta-karma, which is done as an antidote for wrong actions done in the past. If one only wants moksa, then one will naturally drop kāmya-karma and perform only nitya-naimittika-karma for purity of the mind. This is renunciation - nyāsa. However sannyāsa (formal renunciate) is giving up even nitya-naimittika-karma. Since vedic society is duty based society, therefore this giving up also needs to follow the rule of veda.
kavayo viduḥ - people who know śāstra understand the non-performance of kāmya-karma and nitya-naimittika-karma to be sannyāsa, known as vividisā-sannyāsa - renunciation of action backed by a desire to know. Real sannyāsa is vidvad-sannyāsa or sarva-karma-sannyāsa as the result of self-knowledge. Now what is tyāga? vicakṣaṇāḥ - other learned people say tyāga is renunciation of the results of all actions (karma-yogī), thus it rules out kāmya-karma because no one is going to perform a kāmya-karma for the sake of renouncing the karma-phala.
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