Bhagavad Gita · Mahabharata Codex

Sannyasa

संन्यास · saṃnyāsa

renunciation; laying down worldly action

The traditional path of giving up home, possessions and ritual duties to seek freedom. Arjuna asks more than once whether this is better than action. Krishna answers that the true renouncer is the one who neither hates nor craves, whatever they are doing. In chapter 18 he defines sannyasa as giving up actions that are driven by desire.

Appears in

Bhagavad Gita 5.2 · Bhagavad Gita 5.3 · Bhagavad Gita 6.1 · Bhagavad Gita 18.2