Chapter 5, Verse 2
"The Blessed Lord said: Both renunciation and karma-yoga lead to the highest good; but of the two, karma-yoga is superior to renunciation of action"
The Blessed Lord said: Both renunciation and karma-yoga lead to the highest good; but of the two, karma-yoga is superior to renunciation of action— Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 5, Verse 2
About This Verse
This verse appears as one of the opening verses of Chapter 5 — The Yoga of Renunciation (कर्मसंन्यासयोगः), which explores renunciation and selfless action. This chapter contains 29 verses and focuses on how both renunciation and selfless action lead to liberation, and why action is preferred. In this particular verse, the teaching centers on the idea that the blessed lord said: both renunciation and karma-yoga lead to the highest good; but of the two, karma-yoga is superior to renunciation of action. The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata, consisting of a conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
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What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Verse 2 mean?
Chapter 5, Verse 2 of the Bhagavad Gita teaches that the blessed lord said: both renunciation and karma-yoga lead to the highest good; but of the two, karma-yoga is superior to renunciation of action. This verse is part of The Yoga of Renunciation (कर्मसंन्यासयोगः), which contains 29 verses.
Who spoke Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Verse 2?
This verse is part of the dialogue in Chapter 5 — The Yoga of Renunciation. The Bhagavad Gita is primarily a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated by Sanjaya to King Dhritarashtra.
What is the context of Chapter 5, Verse 2 in the Bhagavad Gita?
This verse appears in Chapter 5 — "The Yoga of Renunciation" (कर्मसंन्यासयोगः), which is verse 2 of 29 in this chapter. The Yoga of Renunciation of Action The Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters and 700 verses in total.
How can I read this verse in other languages?
This verse is available in 22 languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and more. Download the free Bhagavad Gita app on iOS or Android to read the full translation, detailed meaning, word-by-word breakdown, and listen to Sanskrit audio recitation — all completely free.