ज्ञेय: स नित्यसन्न्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥ ३ ॥
jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati
nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramuchyate
श्लोक ३: हे महाबाहु अर्जुन, जो मनुष्य कर्मों के फल से घृणा नहीं करता और ना ही उसे पाने की इच्छा करता है, उसे सदैव संन्यासी समझना चाहिए। वह सभी द्वंद्वों से अप्रभावित रहता है और भव बंधनों से आसानी से मुक्ति पा लेता है।
Shloka 3: O mighty-armed Arjuna, one who neither hates nor desires the results of actions should be considered as always renounced. He is unaffected by all dualities, and easily achieves liberation from bondage.
In Bhagavad Gita verse 5.3, Lord Krishna continues His profound discourse on the essence of true renunciation (sannyasa). He reveals to Arjuna that authentic renunciation isn't about abandoning one's duties or withdrawing from worldly activities, but rather about transcending attachment to the fruits of one's actions. Krishna addresses Arjuna as "mighty-armed" (maha-baho), acknowledging his strength while guiding him toward spiritual wisdom.
Krishna states that a person who "neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities" should be recognized as a true renunciant, a "nitya-sannyasi" - one who lives in a perpetual state of renunciation even while actively engaging with the world. This individual doesn't despise what comes their way nor hanker after specific outcomes. Instead, they perform their duties with equanimity and inner detachment.
The verse emphasizes that freedom from duality (nirdvandva) is the hallmark of genuine renunciation. When we transcend the pairs of opposites that constantly pull our minds - success and failure, pleasure and pain, praise and criticism - we create space for spiritual advancement. This state isn't achieved by physically abandoning responsibilities but by mentally relinquishing our grip on outcomes while faithfully executing our duties.
Krishna explains that such a person "becomes easily freed from bondage" (sukham bandhat pramucyate). This is a profound insight - our attachments to results create psychological bondage that keeps us trapped in cycles of desire, disappointment, and suffering. When we learn to act without being emotionally invested in specific outcomes, we experience an inner liberation that remains unshaken by external circumstances.
Consider how this principle might apply in everyday life. When we work diligently on a project without obsessing over recognition, when we help others without expecting gratitude, when we pursue knowledge without fixating on credentials - we taste the freedom Krishna describes. This isn't about becoming indifferent or dispassionate but about finding a centered place of action that isn't contingent on particular results.
The verse also illuminates why karma yoga (the path of selfless action) is so powerful. By offering the fruits of our actions to the divine while maintaining equanimity, we purify our hearts and transcend the ego's demands for specific outcomes. This creates a profound shift in consciousness where we can fully engage with life's duties while remaining inwardly free from their clutches.
This teaching represents one of the Gita's most practical and transformative insights. We don't need to retreat to forests or mountains to find liberation - it's available right where we are, in the midst of our daily responsibilities. By relinquishing our attachment to outcomes while continuing to act with integrity and purpose, we can experience the profound freedom that comes from true renunciation. In this way, even while living in the world, we can transcend its bondage and experience the peace that comes from inner detachment.
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