6.4 - Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 6, Verse 4

In Bhagavad Gita verse 6.4, Lord Krishna defines the advanced stage of yoga (yogārūḍha) by describing the qualities of one who has reached this elevated state of spiritual practice. The Sanskrit verse "yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasv anuṣajjate, sarva-saṅkalpa-sannyāsī yogārūḍhas tadocyate" establishes a profound criterion for spiritual advancement.

According to this verse, a person is considered established in yoga when they have achieved three key transformations: they no longer pursue sense gratification, they don't engage in fruitive activities, and they have completely renounced all material desires at their very root. This state represents complete detachment from both external actions and internal cravings that typically drive human behavior.

Krishna is making an important distinction between the beginner stage of yoga (yogārurukṣu) and this more advanced stage (yogārūḍha). For beginners on the spiritual path, action and engagement with prescribed duties are necessary as they help purify the heart and mind. At this early stage, one cannot simply abandon action, as work itself becomes a tool for spiritual development. The initial practices of yoga involve regulating external behavior while still participating in worldly activities.

However, as one advances on the path, there occurs a pivotal shift inward. The practitioner gradually detaches from external sense objects and material pursuits. This transformation is not merely about external renunciation but represents a profound internal shift where even the mental and emotional pull toward worldly pleasures no longer influences the individual. Śaṅkara's commentary emphasizes this point, noting that "renouncing all thoughts" implies abandoning all desires and actions, since desires originate from thoughts.

The advanced yogi described in this verse has reached a state where they are "sarva-saṅkalpa-sannyāsī" – one who has renounced all material designs and motivations. This doesn't mean they become inactive; rather, their actions no longer spring from personal desires or attachments. If they continue to perform duties, they do so without attachment, simply to set an example for others who are still on earlier stages of the path.

This verse reveals the progressive nature of spiritual development. The journey from external engagement to internal renunciation isn't about forcibly abandoning responsibilities but allowing them to transform naturally as consciousness evolves. The yogārūḍha stage represents a state where one's focus has shifted entirely to the inner spiritual reality, and external activities no longer hold the same significance or binding power.

The profound teaching here is that both action and renunciation have their place in spiritual evolution. The path begins with engaged action performed without attachment to results, and culminates in a state where even the subtle desires that drive action have been transcended. This natural progression leads to a freedom that comes not from escaping the world, but from transforming one's relationship with it through spiritual realization.