Devanagari
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं सन्न्यासं कवयो विदु: ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणा: ॥ २ ॥
Verse text
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ
sannyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ
prāhus tyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ
Synonyms
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
;
kāmyānām
—
with desire
;
karmaṇām
—
of activities
;
nyāsam
—
renunciation
;
sannyāsam
—
the renounced order of life
;
kavayaḥ
—
the learned
;
viduḥ
—
know
;
sarva
—
of all
;
karma
—
activities
;
phala
—
of results
;
tyāgam
—
renunciation
;
prāhuḥ
—
call
;
tyāgam
—
renunciation
;
vicakṣaṇāḥ
—
the experienced.
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The giving up of activities that are based on material desire is what great learned men call the renounced order of life [sannyāsa]. And giving up the results of all activities is what the wise call renunciation [tyāga].
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
2. The Lord said: The learned know that sannyāsa means to give up all actions performed for personal benefit. The learned say that tyāga means giving up the results of all actions.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
2. The Lord said: The learned people know that sannyāsa means to give up all actions performed for personal benefit. The learned say that tyāga means giving up the results of all actions.
Purport
The performance of activities for results has to be given up. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. But activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not to be given up. This will be made clear in the next verses. In the Vedic literature there are many prescriptions of methods for performing sacrifice for some particular purpose. There are certain sacrifices to perform to attain a good son or to attain elevation to the higher planets, but sacrifices prompted by desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the purification of one’s heart or for advancement in the spiritual science should not be given up.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Taking up the former idea first, the Lord explains the different derivations of the two words. To renounce (nyāsa) at the very root activities performed for fulfilling personal desires (kāmyānāṁ karmaṇām) is called sannyāsa. Personal desires are indicated in such statements as the following:
putra-kāmo yajeta, svarga-kāmo yajeta
One with a desire for a son should worship. One with desire for Svarga should worship. Āpastamba Śrauta Sūtra 3.9.4, 19.10.14
This does not mean that one should reject daily obligatory activities (nitya-karma) such as sandhya worship. [Note: Nitya-karmas are activities ordered by the scriptures as obligatory for certain persons. Kāmya-karmas are activities described in the scriptures for persons having certain desires such as desire for wealth or sons. These are not obligatory for anyone, but are performed according to personal desire.]
Tyāga means that one should give up the results of all activities in performance of actions with personal desire (kāmya-karma) or in performance of obligatory actions (nitya-karma), rather than to give up those activities completely.
For the śrutis also promise results even for the obligatory actions (nitya-karma).
karmaṇā pitṛloka
By the obligatory actions one goes to Pitṛloka. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5
dharmeṇa pāpam apanudati
By following dharma, one eradicates sin. Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad 15.7
Therefore, in tyāga, one should perform all kāmya-karmas and nitya-karmas without seeking results, whereas in sannyāsa one performs only obligatory duties (nitya-karma) without the desire for results, and completely rejects rituals for personal gratification (kāmya-karma). This is the distinction of the two words sannyāsa and tyāga.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Being asked the question, the Lord speaks.
The learned (kavayaḥ) know that sannyāsa means complete rejection of activities such as putreṣṭi and jyotiṣṭoma [Note: These are sacrifices for gaining sons and going to heavenly planets.] which are prescribed for fulfilling personal desires (kāmya karma), as expressed in verses like putra-kāmo yajeta svarga-kāmo yajet: one with a desire for a son should perform sacrifice. One with desire for svarga should perform sacrifice. (Apastambha Śrauta Sūtra 3.9.4, 19.10.14)
This means that the daily rituals (nitya karma) such as daily fire sacrifice should not be given up.
The wise among those learned persons say that tyāga means to renounce the results of the daily activities and kāmya karmas, but not to renounce the actions themselves. Daily rites also bear results according to the śruti.
karmaṇā pitṛloka
By the daily obligatory actions (nitya karma), one goes to pitṛ loka. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5
dharmeṇa pāpam apanudati
By following dharma, one eradicates sin. Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad 15.7
Though we do not hear of such explicit fruits (putra-kāmo yajeta) mentioned in such statements as aharahaḥ sandhyām upāsīta, [Note: Bhasma Upaniṣad] yāvaj-jīvanam agnihotraṁ juhoti (one should perform sandhya rites daily, one should offer sacrifice for ones whole life still), we do hear from other statements about nitya karmas that they yield fruits to a small degree: viśvajitā yajeta (worshipping with the viśvajit fire one attains all wealth) (Apastambha Srauta Sūtra 22.13.25) There is difficulty in extinguishing results completely because there would be total futility in human endeavors.
Therefore the word sannyāsa means to give up kāmya karmas completely, and to give up the results of nitya karmas. Tyāga means to perform all actions (nitya and kāmya karmas) but giving up the desire for results of all those activities. According to what was previously said, the Lord has answered that it is difficult to avoid action, as long as one is not functioning from the level of sattva resulting from the dawn of knowledge.
Surrender Unto Me
This is the opinion of others, the opinion of the wise and learned. This is not exactly Krsna's opinion.
According to this opinion of the learned and the wise, are tyaga and renunciation or tyaga and sannyasa the same or different? ‑ They are not the same although similar. The giving up of activities based on material desires is sannyasa, and renunciation is giving up the results of all activities. They are different according to the opinion of the learned and the wise.
What are activities based on material desires are the activities of the karma‑kanda section of the Vedas; and tyaga, according to this definition, is giving up the fruit.
In the next verse is the opinion of others.