Gita 05.06 – Renunciation without yogic connection is distressing
sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho
duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ
yoga-yukto munir brahma
na cireṇādhigacchati
Word-to-word
sannyāsaḥ — the renounced order of life; tu — but; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; duḥkham — distress; āptum — afflicts one with; ayogataḥ — without devotional service; yoga-yuktaḥ — one engaged in devotional service; muniḥ — a thinker; brahma — the Supreme; na cireṇa — without delay; adhigacchati — attains.
Translation
Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay.
Explanation
Krishna here reiterates the point made in 5.2: both Karma Yoga and renunciation lead to liberation, but Karma Yoga is superior. In verses 2–5, He emphasized their common goal—liberation despite their different processes. Now He explains their difference: renunciation without yoga is difficult and distressing. Why does he favor Karma Yoga? Because the path of renunciation is extremely difficult. For one not established in yoga, it brings distress. The soul, by its very nature, is Sat-Chit-Ananda—eternal, conscious, and blissful. Since bliss is intrinsic to the self, the soul naturally seeks pleasure. If it cannot find it on the spiritual level, it will seek it on the material level.
When a person renounces material pleasures without yet experiencing spiritual joy, the result is misery. Why? Because it is unnatural for the soul to live without pleasure. In the path of Sankhya or sannyas, one gives up material enjoyment. Though material pleasure is temporary and bound with karmic consequences, it still provides some sense of satisfaction. But if one abandons material pleasure while not yet connected to the spiritual reality, one is left with neither material happiness nor spiritual fulfillment. That double absence leads to deep distress.
The path of inaction is unnatural. Krishna had already explained this in 3.5: na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt—no one can remain without action, even for a moment. Those who attempt to do so struggle greatly, making such a path very difficult. Krishna reiterates this point in the 12th chapter, while contrasting the impersonal and personal paths. In 12.5, he says: kleśo ’dhika-taras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām, avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate—for those attached to the impersonal, the path is especially distressing. To stress the difficulty, Krishna uses the word kleśa twice in the verse. Why so? Because impersonalists, believing the ultimate reality to be inactive, strive for inaction themselves. But for embodied beings, such suppression of activity is unnatural and therefore distressing.
Similarly, in this verse Krishna explains that those who renounce matter (through sannyas) but are not yet connected with spirit are termed ayogataḥ—disconnected from yoga. Such people have given up material happiness without yet attaining spiritual happiness. They attempt something unnatural: giving up material activity without experiencing spiritual activity. This inevitably causes struggle and misery. In contrast, Krishna glorifies those who are yoga-yuktaḥ—steadily engaged in yoga, harmonized through it, and connected with the divine. Such a person, a muni (sage), progresses naturally and joyfully, unlike the distressed ayogataḥ.
The word Muni generally refers to a sage or seeker, usually someone who has renounced the world and is absorbed in meditation. Interestingly, Krishna uses the same word here to describe those who are yoga-yukta—actively engaged in yoga. This indicates that being a sage does not necessarily mean giving up activity. What defines a sage is not inaction but vision—an enlightened way of seeing. A Muni is essentially contemplative and thoughtful. By using this word for the Karma Yogi, Krishna shows that contemplation is not limited to those who abandon action. Even while acting in the world, if one acts in yoga—with awareness of spiritual reality—such a person is contemplative. Unlike the thoughtless pursuit of material pleasures, the Karma Yogi acts with discrimination, remembering their spiritual identity, and directing their efforts toward spiritual realization.
Thus, when Krishna says munir brahma, he indicates that such thoughtful, yoga-yukta sages attain Brahman swiftly. Why? Because action is natural for the soul, and when action is harmonized with yoga, it not only feels natural but also connects one with the spiritual reality.
We usually associate the term “higher taste” with bhakti—and rightly so, for bhakti provides not just a higher taste, but the highest taste. When we experience Krishna through the practices of devotion, we relish the supreme, unparalleled happiness. Yet, even in other forms of yoga, a seeker can experience some level of higher satisfaction. For instance, in Karma Yoga or the pursuit of Brahman realization, one may not be directly seeking Krishna, but by turning away from material indulgence and moving toward the spiritual, one taps into the inherent joy of the self—the Sat-Chit-Ananda nature of the soul. With purified consciousness, the seeker accesses at least a partial experience of this inner Ananda.
Both the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and the Upanishads describe a hierarchy of happiness: earthly pleasures (Pārtheva sukha) are surpassed by heavenly pleasures (Svargīya sukha), which are in turn far exceeded by Brahma-sukha—the bliss of spiritual realization. And beyond Brahmānanda lies Bhakti-ānanda—the boundless ocean of devotional joy. In the present context, Krishna has not yet introduced bhakti, so Bhakti-ānanda is not the focus. The point here is that even the realization “I am the Atma”—even if partial—brings a higher, lasting satisfaction. Such realization makes one steadily progressive and accelerates spiritual advancement.
The phrase “not taking much time” is relative. It does not mean realization happens overnight—it may take a lifetime or even many lifetimes. Still, the time required is far less than in the practice of Jnana Yoga. Why? Because in Karma Yoga, one acts naturally. Action feels natural, and therefore the journey does not seem burdensome or slow. We all know how time feels relative. When we are bored, minutes drag like hours; but when we are absorbed in something enjoyable, hours pass like minutes. Similarly, on the spiritual path, when action is aligned with our nature, the progress feels swift.
This is true in Karma Yoga, and even more so in Bhakti. In Bhakti, one not only acts naturally but also receives a powerful boost from Krishna’s mercy. Out of His omnipotence, Krishna draws the devotee toward Him, enabling realization to come very quickly. Even in Karma Yoga, because one continues to act and simultaneously connects to spiritual reality, one experiences a measure of happiness. This makes progress smooth and steady, unlike the laborious struggle of those who renounce activity and pursue the impersonal path.
Thus, Krishna concludes: na cireṇādhigacchati—such a person attains Brahman realization swiftly.
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