1. This is the fifth of Arjun's sixteen questions. Shree Krishna praised both the renunciation of works and work with devotion. Arjun is confused by these apparently equivocal instructions and wishes to understand which of the two is more auspicious for him. Let us review the context of the question.
The first chapter described the nature of Arjun's grief and created the setting for Shree Krishna to begin to relate spiritual knowledge to him. In the second chapter, Shree Krishna revealed to Arjun the science of the self and explained that since the soul is immortal, nobody would die in the war, and hence it was foolish to lament. He then reminded Arjun that his karm (social duty) as a warrior was to fight the war on the side of righteousness. But, since karm binds one to the fruits of actions, Shree Krishna encouraged Arjun to dedicate the fruits of his works to God. His actions would then become karm-yog, or "united with God through works."
In the third chapter, the Supreme Lord explained that performing one's duties is necessary because it helps to purify the mind. But He also said that a person who has already developed purity of mind is not obliged to perform any social duty (verse 3.13).
In the fourth chapter, the Lord explained the various kinds of sacrifices (works that can be done for the pleasure of God). He concluded by saying that sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than mechanical ritualistic sacrifice. He also said that all sacrifice ends in the knowledge of one's relationship with God. Finally, in verse 4.41, He introduced the principle of karm sanyās, in which ritualistic duties and social obligations are renounced and one engages in devotional service with the body, mind, and soul.
These instructions perplexed Arjun. He thought that karm sanyās (renunciation of works) and karm-yog (work in devotion) have opposite natures, and it is not possible to perform both simultaneously. Hence, he raises his doubt before Shree Krishna.
2. In this verse, Shree Krishna compares karm sanyās and karm-yog. It is a very deep verse; so let's understand it one word at a time.
A karm yogi is one who does both, spiritual and social, duties. Social duties are done with the body while the mind is attached to God. Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj states:
sochu mana yaha karm mama saba lakhata hari guru pyāre (Sādhan Bhakti Tattva)
"Dear one! Think always that all your actions are being observed by God and Guru." This is the sādhanā of karm-yog, by which we gradually elevate ourselves from bodily consciousness to spiritual consciousness.
Karm sanyās is for elevated souls, who have already risen beyond the bodily platform. A karm sanyāsī is one who discards social duties due to complete absorption in God, and engages entirely in the performance of spiritual duties (devotional service to God). This sentiment of karm sanyās was nicely expressed by Lakshman, when Lord Ram asked him to fulfill his worldly duties:
more sabai eka tuma swāmī, dīnabandhu ura antarayāmī (Ramayan)
Lakshman said to Ram, "You are my Master, Father, Mother, Friend, and everything. I will only fulfill my duty toward You with all my might. So please do not tell me about any of my bodily duties."
Those who practice karm sanyās do not consider themselves to be the body, and as a result, they do not feel obligated to discharge their bodily duties. Such karm sanyāsīs dedicate their full time and energy to spirituality, while karm yogis have to split their time between worldly and spiritual duties. The karm sanyāsīs can thus move much faster toward God, while the karm yogis are encumbered with social duties.
However, in this verse, Shree Krishna extols karm-yog beyond karm sanyās and recommends it to Arjun as the preferred path. This is because karm sanyāsīs are exposed to a danger. If, having renounced their duties they cannot absorb their mind in God, they are left neither here nor there. In India, there are tens of thousands of such sadhus, who felt they were detached, and thus, renounced the world, but their mind was not yet attached to God. Consequently, they could not experience the divine bliss of the spiritual path. And so, although wearing the saffron clothes of mendicants, they indulge in grossly sinful activities such as smoking opium. Only the ignorant mistake their sloth as detachment from the world.
On the other hand, karm yogis do both their worldly duties and spiritual practice. So if their mind turns away from spirituality, at least they have their work to fall back upon. Karm-yog is thus the safer path for majority of the people, while karm sanyās is only to be pursued under the expert guidance of a Guru.
3. Karm yogis continue to discharge their worldly duties while internally practicing detachment. Hence, they accept both positive and negative outcomes with equanimity, as the grace of God. The Lord has designed this world so beautifully that it makes us experience both happiness and distress for our gradual elevation. If we continue to lead our regular lives and tolerate whatever comes our way, while happily doing our duty, the world naturally pushes us toward gradual spiritual elevation.
There is a sweet story that illustrates this concept. There was once a piece of wood. It went to a sculptor and said, "Can you please make me beautiful?" The sculptor said, "I am ready to do that. But are you ready for it?" The wood replied, "Yes, I am also ready." The sculptor took out his tools and began hammering and chiseling. The wood screamed, "What are you doing? Please stop! This is so painful." The sculptor replied wisely, "If you wish to become beautiful, you will have to bear the pain." "All right," said the wood, "Go ahead and do it. But please be gentle and considerate." The sculptor continued his work again. The wood kept screaming, "Enough for today; I can't bear it any further. Please do it tomorrow." The sculptor was undeterred in his task, and in a few days, the wood was transformed into a beautiful deity, fit to sit on the altar of the temple.
In the same way, our hearts are rough and unfinished because of endless lifetimes of attachment in the world. If we wish to become internally beautiful, we must be willing to tolerate pain and let the world do its job of purifying us. So karm yogis work with devotion, are equipoised in the results, and practice attaching their mind to God.
4. Here, Shree Krishna uses the word sānkhya to refer to karm sanyās, or the renunciation of actions with the cultivation of knowledge. It is important to understand here that renunciation is of two kinds: phalgu vairāgya and yukt vairāgya. Phalgu vairāgya is where people look upon the world as cumbersome, and renounce it with the desire of getting rid of responsibilities and hardships. Such phalgu vairāgya is an escapist attitude and is unstable. The renunciation of such persons is motivated by the desire to run away from difficulties. When such persons encounter difficulties on the spiritual path, they become detached from there as well, and desire to run back to worldly life. Yukt vairāgya is where people see the whole world as the energy of God. They do not see what they possess as belonging to them, and do not wish to enjoy it for themselves. Instead, they are motivated by the desire to serve God with whatever He has given to them. Yukt vairāgya is stable and undeterred by difficulties.
The karm yogis, while conducting their daily duties externally, develop the sentiment of yukt vairāgya, or stable renunciation. They see themselves as the servants and God as the enjoyer, and hence they become fixed in the consciousness of doing everything for His pleasure. Thus, their internal state becomes the same as that of the karm sanyāsīs, who are completely absorbed in divine consciousness. Externally, they may appear to be worldly people, but internally they are no less than sanyāsīs.
The Puranas and Itihās relate the examples of great kings in Indian history, who, though externally discharging their kingly duties with diligence and living in royal opulence, were mentally completely absorbed in God-consciousness. Prahlad, Dhruv, Ambarish, Prithu, Vibheeshan, Yudhishthir, etc. were all such exemplary karm yogis. The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
"One who accepts the objects of the senses, neither yearning for them nor running away from them, in the divine consciousness that everything is the energy of God and is to be used in His service, such a person is the highest devotee." Thus, the truly learned see no difference between karm-yog and karm sanyās. By following one of them, the results of both are achieved.