अर्जुन उवाचसंन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि ।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्िचतम् ॥
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्िचतम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
अर्जुन बोले हे कृष्ण आप कर्मोंका स्वरूपसे त्याग करनेकी और फिर कर्मयोगकी प्रशंसा करते हैं । अतः इन दोनों साधनोंमें जो एक निश्चितरूपसे कल्याणकारक हो, उसको मेरे लिये कहिये ॥
English
Arjuna said: Krishna, you praise both renunciation of action and yoga of action. Tell me clearly which one is definitely better for my welfare.
What this verse means
Arjuna asks Krishna to choose between renouncing action and acting with discipline, and wants the one path that is clearly best.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is still shaken and unsure. Krishna has spoken of both renunciation and action, and Arjuna now asks which path truly leads to lasting good. This verse opens the chapter’s central question.
Why this verse still matters
You are torn between quitting a draining commitment and staying to do it well. The mind wants a clean answer, not more philosophy.
The takeaway
It is honest to ask for clarity when two noble paths seem to pull in different directions.
Word-by-word translation
अर्जुन उवाच (Arjuna said) / संन्यासम् (renunciation) / कर्मणाम् (of actions) / कृष्ण (Krishna) / पुनः (again) / योगम् (yoga) / च (and) / शंससि (you praise) / यत् (which) / श्रेयः (better for welfare) / एतयोः (of these two) / एकम् (one) / तत् (that) / मे (to me) / ब्रूहि (tell) / सुनिश्चितम् (definitely)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5: Karma Sanyasa Yoga — The Yoga of Renunciation, which contains 29 verses.
Explore related themes: arjuna (52 verses), renunciation (14 verses)