Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 5, Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच । संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि । यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्

arjuna uvāca | saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punaryogaṃ ca śaṃsasi | yacchreya etayorekaṃ tanme brūhi suniścitam

Translation

Renunciation of actions, O Kṛṣṇa, Thou praisest, and again Yoga. Tell me conclusively that which is the better of the two.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

saṃnyāsam

renunciation

karmaṇām

of actions

kṛṣṇa

O Kṛṣṇa

punaḥ

again

yogam

yoga

ca

and

śaṃsasi

praisest (thou)

yat

which

śreyaḥ

better

etayoḥ

of these two

ekam

one

tat

that

me

(to) me

brūhi

speak

suniścitam

well-determined

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Thou teachest renunciation of those actions which are enjoined in the śāstras, and Thou teachest also that performance of those very actions is necessary. I have, therefore, a doubt as to which of them is better, performance of prescribed actions or renunciation of those actions. It is the better course which must be followed. Wherefore tell me conclusively that one — it being impossible for one man to resort to both at the same time — be it performance of actions or renunciation of actions, by which you think I may attain to perfection.