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Chapter 5. Karma
yoga--Action in Krsna Consciousness
TEXT 2
sri-bhagavan uvaca
sannyasah karma-yogas ca
nihsreyasa-karav ubhau
tayos tu karma-sannyasat
karma-yogo visisyate
SYNONYMS
 sri-bhagavan
uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said; sannyasah--renunciation
of work; karma-yogah--work in devotion; ca--also; nihsreyasa-karau--all
leading to the path of liberation; ubhau--both; tayoh--of
the two; tu--but; karma-sannyasat--in comparison to the renunciation
of fruitive work; karma-yogah--work in devotion; visisyate--is
better.
TRANSLATION
The Blessed
Lord said: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good
for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than
renunciation of works.
PURPORT
Fruitive activities
(seeking sense gratification) are cause for material bondage. As long as
one is engaged in activities aimed at improving the standard of bodily
comfort, one is sure to transmigrate to different types of bodies, thereby
continuing material bondage perpetually. Srimad-Bhagavatam confirms
this as follows:
nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya
aprnoti
na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam asann api klesa-da
asa dehah
parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam
yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai karmatmakam yena
sarira-bandhah
evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte avidyayatmany upadhiyamane
pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve na mucyate deha-yogena
tavat
"People are
mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this present body,
which is full of miseries, is a result of one's fruitive activities in
the past. Although this body is temporary, it is always giving one trouble
in many ways. Therefore, to act for sense gratification is not good. One
is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about
the nature of work for fruitive results, for as long as one is engrossed
in the consciousness of sense gratification, one has to transmigrate from
one body to another. Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive activities
and influenced by ignorance, one must develop a love for devotional service
to Vasudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage
of material existence." (Bhag. 5.5.4-6)
Therefore,
jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body but spirit
soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act in the status
of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material bondage. Action
in Krsna consciousness is not, however, action on the fruitive platform.
Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen one's advancement in
real knowledge. Without Krsna consciousness, mere renunciation of fruitive
activities does not actually purify the heart of a conditioned soul. As
long as the heart is not purified, one has to work on the fruitive platform.
But action in Krsna consciousness automatically helps one escape the result
of fruitive action so that one need not descend to the material platform.
Therefore, action in Krsna consciousness is always superior to renunciation,
which always entails a risk of falling. Renunciation without Krsna consciousness
is incomplete, as is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
(1.2.258):
prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate
"Renunciation
by persons eager to achieve liberation of things which are related to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, is called incomplete
renunciation." Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that
everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim
proprietorship over anything. One should understand that, factually, nothing
belongs to anyone. Then where is the question of renunciation? One who
knows that everything is Krsna's property is always situated in renunciation.
Since everything belongs to Krsna, everything should be employed in the
service of Krsna. This perfect form of action in Krsna consciousness is
far better than any amount of artificial renunciation by a sannyasi
of the Mayavadi school.
  
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