Chapter 6: Dhyāna Yoga – Yoga through Meditation and Contemplation / Verse 1

Without Arjuna’s enquiry or doubt, Krishna continues the thread of his last statement by first evaluating the seemingly opposite concepts of sannyāsa and yoga.

He emphasizes that physical renunciation is not relevant to human life at all. Instead, whoever does whatever is needed, without expecting sukha or fearing duḥkha, verily is a sannyāsin and yogi. Being so, in the name of renunciation if anyone relinquishes rituals or necessary activities of life, he is not a renunciate or a yogi in reality. To shun activities is not a part of spiritual pursuit at all. This point must be borne in mind by both sannyāsin and yogis alike.

Gita mainly discusses yoga, meaning Karma-yoga. But as the subject is exposed, Krishna brings in allied concepts and practices. Thus karma-niṣṭhā and jñāna-niṣṭhā were brought in (3.3). Jñāna-niṣṭhā is the exclusive wisdom practice, leaving all karmas completely, which Arjuna is not competent to take up. He lacked the maturity and degree of withdrawal from worldliness for such a pursuit. So pursuing karma, but with yoga-buddhi, is the right step for him, said Krishna.

Yoga-buddhi consists in being active but treating all karma-phalas with the same attitude of evenness and sublimation. This when rightly done, will make the mind free and fulfilled.

As jñāna-niṣṭhā and karma-niṣṭhā have the same effect, they are not different. Sannyāsa is an addition to these. Gita does not envisage physical sannyāsa for anybody, as none can live without activity. Nature’s guṇas govern this and they will not allow inactivity for anyone.

If physical renunciation is thus unreal and unfeasible, what sannyāsa denotes is a very pertinent question. Krishna answers this in this chapter. In fact, he commences the chapter with the statement that sannyāsa does not consist in renouncing either religious or secular activities at all. In that case, it has the content and message of karma- yoga alone. This makes sannyāsa and yoga alike, not the least different. To distinguish them in any way is puerile, says Krishna.