Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5: Karma Sannyasa Yoga
Complete lyrics with original text, transliteration, and meaning, 29 sections
Bhagwad Geeta Chapter 5 krishna bhakti Yoga.
Verse 1
Original
अर्जुन उवाच सन्न्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि । यच्छ्रेयोऽनेन निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे सुविचारितम् ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration
arjuna uvāca sannyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi । yacchreyo'nena niścitaṃ brūhi tanme suvicāritam ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Arjuna said: O Krishna, You praise the renunciation of actions and also yoga (performance of actions). Tell me definitely which one is the better of the two.
Verse 2
Original
श्रीभगवानुवाच सन्न्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ । तयोस्तु कर्मसन्न्यासाद्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
śrībhagavānuvāca sannyāsaḥ karmayogaśca niḥśreyasakarāvubhau । tayostu karmasannyāsātkarmayogo viśiṣyate ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning / Translation
The Blessed Lord said: Both renunciation of actions and yoga of actions lead to the highest good. But of the two, karma yoga (performance of action with detachment) is superior to renunciation of actions.
Verse 3
Original
ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्तव्यं विद्धि तद्विदो जनाः । यथैव सन्न्यासी स्यात्कर्मयोगी च स एव सः ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration
jñānaṃ karma ca kartavyaṃ viddhi tadvido janāḥ । yathaiva sannyāsī syāt karmayogī ca sa eva saḥ ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Know that both knowledge and action are to be performed; the wise say that one who performs action with yoga is verily a renunciant.
Verse 4
Original
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् । कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration
na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭatyakarmakṛt । kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning / Translation
No one can remain even for a moment without performing action; everyone is helplessly driven to action by the gunas born of nature.
Verse 5
Original
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः । लोकसङ्ग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration
karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ । lokasaṅgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Janaka and others attained perfection through action alone. You should also perform action with a view to the welfare of the world.
Verse 6
Original
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration
śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt । svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning / Translation
One's own duty, though devoid of merit, is better than the duty of another well performed. Death in one's own duty is better; another's duty brings fear.
Verse 7
Original
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः । शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration
niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ । śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Perform your prescribed duty, for action is superior to inaction; even the maintenance of your body would not be possible by inaction.
Verse 8
Original
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः । तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration
yajñārthātkarmaṇo'nyatra loko'yaṃ karmabandhanaḥ । tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning / Translation
This world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action for that purpose, free from attachment.
Verse 9
Original
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वं एष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration
sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ । anena prasaviṣyadhvaṃ eṣa vo'stviṣṭakāmadhuk ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Having created mankind together with sacrifice, Prajapati said: 'By this shall you propagate; let this be the fulfiller of your desires.'
Verse 10
Original
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः । परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ १० ॥
Transliteration
devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ । parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning / Translation
With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus nourishing one another, you shall attain the supreme good.
Verse 11
Original
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः । तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥ ११ ॥
Transliteration
iṣṭānbhogāṃ hi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ । tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning / Translation
The gods, nourished by sacrifice, will give you desired enjoyments. He who enjoys these without offering them in return is verily a thief.
Verse 12
Original
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः । भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ १२ ॥
Transliteration
yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ । bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning / Translation
The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those who cook for themselves alone eat sin.
Verse 13
Original
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसंभवः । यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥ १३ ॥
Transliteration
annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasambhavaḥ । yajñādbhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Beings arise from food; food is produced from rain; rain arises from sacrifice; sacrifice is born of action.
Verse 14
Original
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माऽक्षरसमुद्भवम् । तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १४ ॥
Transliteration
karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam । tasmātsarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Know that action arises from Brahman; Brahman arises from the Imperishable. Therefore the all-pervading Brahman is ever established in sacrifice.
Verse 15
Original
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः । अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥ १५ ॥
Transliteration
evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ । aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning / Translation
He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is sinful, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Partha.
Verse 16
Original
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः । आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ १६ ॥
Transliteration
yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ । ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning / Translation
But the man who rejoices in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content in the Self alone — for him there is no duty to perform.
Verse 17
Original
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन । न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥ १७ ॥
Transliteration
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana । na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning / Translation
For him there is no purpose in action performed, nor in action not performed; nor does he depend on any being for any object.
Verse 18
Original
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर । असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥ १८ ॥
Transliteration
tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara । asakto hyacaran karma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Therefore, without attachment, perform always the action that is to be done; for by performing action without attachment, man attains the Supreme.
Verse 19
Original
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः । लोकसङ्ग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १९ ॥
Transliteration
karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ । lokasaṅgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Janaka and others attained perfection through action alone. You should also perform action with a view to the welfare of the world.
Verse 20
Original
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ २० ॥
Transliteration
yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ । sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Whatever a great man does, other men also do; whatever standard he sets, the world follows.
Verse 21
Original
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन । नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ २१ ॥
Transliteration
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana । nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning / Translation
There is nothing in the three worlds that I should do, O Partha, nor anything unattained to be attained; yet I engage in action.
Verse 22
Original
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः सदा । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ २२ ॥
Transliteration
yadi hyahaṃ na varteyaṃ karmaṇyatandritaḥ sadā । mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥ 22 ॥
Meaning / Translation
If I did not engage in action unwearied, men would follow My path in all respects, O Partha.
Verse 23
Original
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् । सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥ २३ ॥
Transliteration
utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṃ karma cedaham । saṅkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ ॥ 23 ॥
Meaning / Translation
These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the cause of confusion and would destroy these creatures.
Verse 24
Original
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥ २४ ॥
Transliteration
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata । kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṅgraham ॥ 24 ॥
Meaning / Translation
As the ignorant act attached to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act unattached, desiring the welfare of the world.
Verse 25
Original
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् । जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥ २५ ॥
Transliteration
na buddhibhedaṃ janayedajñānāṃ karmasaṅginām । joṣayetsarvakarmāṇi vidvānyuktaḥ samācaran ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Let not the wise create confusion in the minds of the ignorant attached to action; but acting in harmony, he should engage them in all actions.
Verse 26
Original
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः । अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताऽहमिति मन्यते ॥ २६ ॥
Transliteration
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ । ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning / Translation
All actions are performed by the gunas of nature; the deluded ego thinks 'I am the doer.'
Verse 27
Original
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः । गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ २७ ॥
Transliteration
tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ । guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning / Translation
But the knower of the truth, O mighty-armed, knowing the distinction between gunas and actions, thinks 'The gunas move among the gunas' and is not attached.
Verse 28
Original
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु । तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ २८ ॥
Transliteration
prakṛterguṇasammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu । tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet ॥ 28 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Those deluded by the gunas of nature are attached to guna-born actions. The wise should not unsettle the dull-witted who lack full knowledge.
Verse 29
Original
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याऽध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ २९ ॥
Transliteration
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasyā'dhyātmacetasā । irāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ ॥ 29 ॥
Meaning / Translation
Surrender all actions to Me, with mind fixed on the Self, free from hope and egoism, and fight, freed from fever.