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Chapter 5 • Verse 3
The Yoga of Renunciation
MEANING & CONTEXT
Krishna defines what true renunciation means: a perpetual renunciant (nitya-sannyāsī) is one who neither hates (dveṣṭi) nor desires (kāṅkṣati). This is the key insight: true renunciation isn't physical withdrawal—it's inner detachment from likes and dislikes. The phrase 'nirdvandvaḥ' (free from pairs of opposites) means free from dualities like pleasure/pain, success/failure, praise/blame. When you're not pulled by desire or pushed by aversion, you're truly renounced—regardless of whether you're acting or not. This inner state is what matters, not physical withdrawal. Such a person is easily freed from bondage (bandhāt pramucyate) because they're not attached to outcomes.
Explore Human Experiences
How this ancient wisdom applies to your daily life
Key Takeaway
This verse reveals the true meaning of renunciation: it's not about physically withdrawing from the world—it's about inner detachment from likes and dislikes. A true renunciant neither hates nor desires. They're free from pairs of opposites—pleasure/pain, success/failure, praise/blame. When you're not pulled by desire or pushed by aversion, you're truly renounced—regardless of whether you're acting or not. This inner state is what matters, not physical withdrawal. You can be a true renunciant while fulfilling your duties.
Personal Reflection
Are you trying to renounce by withdrawing physically, or by developing inner detachment? Where are you pulled by desire or pushed by aversion? How can you free yourself from pairs of opposites in your daily life?
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