Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5: The Yoga of Renunciation

Arjuna wants a ruling: renounce action, or perform it selflessly — which is better? Krishna's answer dissolves the either/or. Both paths lead to liberation, but the yoga of selfless action is the more practicable of the two (5.2), and only the immature treat knowledge and action as rival schools — one truly established in either reaches the fruit of both (5.4–5). Renunciation, in fact, is hard to attain without selfless action first (5.6).

The chapter's centre is its image of engaged detachment: one who acts surrendering all actions to Brahman is untouched by sin as a lotus leaf is untouched by water (5.10) — fully in the world, unstained by it. Such a sage sees with equal vision a learned brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and an outcaste (5.18), neither rejoicing at the pleasant nor recoiling from the unpleasant (5.20). Pleasures born of sense contact have a beginning and an end, and the wise do not delight in them (5.22); real happiness is found within (5.24). The chapter closes with a compact meditation instruction and the peace that comes from knowing Krishna as the friend of all beings (5.27–29).