109. Sannyasi Renounces Karma-phal

Life presents many ups and downs and it’s all about how we handle them. It is natural that when one is going through a rough phase, one gets frustrated and gets attracted towards renunciation of karmas as we are all under the illusion that our karmas as well as those of others bring us happiness or misery. Arjuna is also passing through this dilemma and wants to renounce the karma of fighting the battle.

 Krishna clarifies that he is a sannyasi (renunciant) and yogi who does his bounden duty without depending on the fruits of action (karma-phal); not the one who abandons karma (6.1).

Attempting to define bounden duty can create more confusion than clarity, as it is purely experiential. To learn swimming, one must dive into the water. Similarly, one should experience life with awareness to understand the bounden duty. Being joyful without the help of senses is the parameter to measure our progress like floating for swimming.

Similarly, a seed coat is expected to protect the embryo and in the right circumstances, it is also expected to give way to sprout. Though it looks natural to us, it’s confusing from the seed coat’s point of view - once to protect and later not to. Like in the case of the seed coat, performing a karma bestowed on us by the all-powerful present moment, without the burden of the past and the expectations from the future, is the bounden duty.

Secondly, Krishna says that sannyasi is the one who dropped the attachment to karma-phal but not karma. This challenges the belief that becoming a sannyasi requires renouncing all karmas and abandoning family and possessions. This verse enables each one of us to be a sannyasi without resorting to escapism. Regardless of external circumstances, one is entitled to the joy of a sannyasi the moment one drops the expectation of fruits of action.


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