5.1
Arjuna said, “Lord Krishna, on the one hand you praise the renunciation of action, and on the other you commend the yoga of action. Please tell me definitely which of the two is better for my spiritual welfare.”
5.2
Lord Krishna said:
Both the renunciation of action and the yoga of action can lead to Liberation, but of the two, the yoga of action is superior.
5.3
He who neither desires nor renounces the things of the world, who has truly transcended the pairs of opposites, easily breaks free of bondage.
5.4
It is wrong to think of the yoga of knowledge and the yoga of action as being different. Those who apply themselves earnestly to either path will discover the same Truth.
5.5
He who sees these two yogas as aspects of one yoga, sees things as they are.
5.6
Mere renunciation without engaging in devotional service brings only sorrow. He who earnestly practices both, attains the Absolute.
5.7
A yogi who is pure in heart, who is master of his mind and senses, sees the Soul of all souls in every living being. He is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him.
5.8
One who abides in divine consciousness — though engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, sleeping, breathing, and moving about — never thinks, “It is I who am doing this.”
5.9
Because even while speaking, holding, letting go, excreting, and opening or closing his eyes, he sees clearly that it is merely the senses moving about on their own among the sense-objects of the world.
5.10
He who performs his duty, whatever it may be, while offering the results to God, cannot be tainted by sin, just as the lotus leaf cannot be wetted by water.
5.11
Dedicated karma yogis perform all actions of the body, mind, senses and intellect without attachment, and for the sole purpose of self-purification.
5.12
One who offers the results of his actions to God, lives unencumbered in freedom and peace. One who acts only to enjoy the fruits of his work, becomes hopelessly entangled in the world.
5.13
When a man takes control of his nature and renounces claim to his actions, he resides happily in his body — the city of nine gates — neither doing nor causing anything to be done.
5.14
The Lord of Creation does not prescribe actions, nor does He induce people to act, nor does He manifest the fruits of action. All this is the domain of the forces of nature, the three gunas.
5.15
The Lord of Creation does not take note of the actions of anyone, be they good or bad. The mass of men think otherwise because their innate knowledge is enveloped in darkness by ignorance.
5.16
But for those whose ignorance is destroyed by the realization of Self, everything is revealed, just as the sun lights up the world in daytime.
5.17
One who has realized Self, whose faith is in Self, whose mind and intellect have taken refuge in Self, is poised for Liberation with no desire to return.
5.18
The enlightened sage gazes with equal eye upon a king, a cow, a priest, an elephant, and an untouchable eating a dog.
5.19
Even while in this world, the enlightened sage moves beyond birth and death. He is flawless, like God. He is God.
5.20
Established in God, freed from illusion, he neither delights in the pleasant nor complains about the unpleasant.
5.21
He has no interest in the pleasures of the senses, for he is focused on the Supreme within, and has found unending contentment.
5.22
The pleasures that arise from the contact of senses with sense-objects are transient, having a beginning and end, and therefore are equally sources of pain. The wise do not seek them out or rejoice in them.
5.23
He who succeeds in controlling the rushing forces of desire and anger before transcending the body, is a saint and a happy man.
5.24
One whose happiness comes from within, who is illumined from within, who delights in God within, such a one will be taken up by the Lord and liberated from birth and death.
5.25
He whose sins are burned out, whose mind is uncorrupted by dualities, whose doubts have disappeared in light, who has relinquished self-interest for the welfare of all — he shall be liberated into the Supreme.
5.26
Those who have released themselves from anger and material desires, who are self-governed, self-disciplined, and constantly seeking perfection — these are practitioners well-positioned for Liberation.
5.27 / 5.28
Shutting out all external distractions, fixing his gaze on the point between his eyebrows, equalizing the incoming and outgoing breaths moving within his nostrils — thus controlling the mind, senses and intellect — the sage is released from desire, fear, and anger, and lives in freedom until Liberation.
5.29
Coming to know Me, the receiver of all offerings and austerities, the supreme Lord of all worlds and gods, the benefactor and selfless friend of all living things, the sage attains eternal Peace.