BG 5.17 — Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 5.17Chapter 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

तद्बुद्धयस् तद्आत्मानस् तन्निष्ठास् तत्परायणाः ।

गच्छन्त्यपुनर्आवृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ॥

tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ

gacchanty apunar-āvṛttiṃ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣāḥ

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

Those whose intellect, self, steadiness, and final refuge all rest in That go to non-return, their impurities scoured away by knowledge.

ekras · bhāṣya

The verse names a fourfold orientation. Intellect on That; self on That; steadiness on That; supreme refuge in That.

Madhusudana reads the four as a reverse-ordered sadhana sequence. Tat-parayana — the supreme detachment, vairagya, that gives the seeker the reach to turn at all — is the first station. From that follows tan-nishtha: shravana, manana, vedanta-vichara carried out with sarva-karma-samnyasa. From that follows tad-atman: the ripeness of nididhyasana that removes viparita-bhavana, the contrary mental impressions that have been blocking sakshatkara. And from that, finally, tad-buddhi: the unmediated recognition itself. The four are not parallel; they are sequential.

Ramanuja reads the same four terms as the progressive intensification of upasana toward Bhagavan's chit-body. Through such continually cultivated jnana, the prachina-kalmasha — the encrusted defilement of beginningless prior karma — is scoured away.

Madhva names the verse the avyavahita-sadhana, the immediate proximate means, to aparoksha-jnana of Hari as svatantra; the fourfold orientation is not a merger but a perfected orientation of the eternally distinct jiva toward the Lord's lordship.

Vallabha softens the verse the most: the four terms describe one already mukta, the verse is the portrait of the liberated, not the prescription for arrival. The non-return is mutual non-return: the seer does not return to samsara, and Bhagavan does not return the seer to it.

Context

where

Chapter 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 5.16

For those whose ignorance of the self has been destroyed by knowledge, that knowledge illumines the supreme like the sun lighting up the world.

What's going on

Those whose intellect, self, steadiness, and final refuge all rest in That go to non-return, their impurities scoured away by knowledge.

Sūtras through this verse (63)

ŚaṅkaraclassicalB

Knowledge alone, with all action laid downbetween

5.13Lay down all acts in mind; sit at ease, body free.───→here5.17───→6.1The fire-keeper is renouncer only in a soft sense.

ĀnandagiriclassicalA

The two-niṣṭhā axisbetween

5.1Every clause tagged jñāna or karma.───→here5.17───→7.1First hexad ends, middle hexad opens.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

5.12Drop the wish for fruit, not the fruit itself.───→here5.17───→5.29The Lord owns every act, never you.

show all 63

Śaṅkaraclassicalshankara_jnana_nishtha

Shankara Jnana Nishthabetween · other

5.13Nine-gated city, all karma laid down───→here5.17───→6.1Soft sense of renouncer

ŚaṅkaraclassicalC

Knowledge plus action will not save youbetween

5.2Each path bears fruit by its own working.───→here5.17───→18.66The combined-path view named and dismantled.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalD

The fit student vs the unfit studentbetween

5.6Renunciation is hard without yoga first.───→here5.17───→18.41Each order's work is born of its own nature.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

5.13Body-self confusion is the only error.───→here5.17───→13.2One Self lights every body as one sun lights all.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalK

Liberation while still embodiedbetween

5.13Nine-gated city: body remains, doership does not.───→here5.17───→5.29Knowing Me, all wandering ceases at once.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingapproach

───→here5.17───→5.29Friend of all beings, the witness of every act.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalI

The lover and the knower are one personapproach

───→here5.17───→7.16Of the four devotees, the knower is dearest.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalG

After knowing, act only to hold the worldexit

5.8I do nothing at all, says the knower.───→here5.17───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

5.14Two tiers of rulership───→here5.17───→9.9Like one detached, not actually

MadhvaclassicalT1

Hari is supreme — the running reading-rulebetween

5.7'Self of all beings' just means the Lord.───→here5.17───→8.3The 'imperishable Brahman' is the supreme person.

MadhvaclassicalT2

Soul depends on Lord — the gap that does not closebetween

5.14The soul rules the inert; the Lord rules the soul.───→here5.17───→6.9Souls differ by nature not by accident alone.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

5.14The Lord rules the modes; the soul rules the body.───→here5.17───→9.9He sits like one detached, not actually detached.

MadhvaclassicalT7

Action and knowledge — never rivalsbetween

5.1Renouncing isn't quitting the householder's life.───→here5.17───→6.1The renouncer and yogi are one person, two names.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

5.16Mediated knowing is just the first step.───→here5.17───→6.7The stilled mind sees the seated supreme self.

MadhvaclassicalT12

Closure by gloss — the small repertoirebetween

5.7'Self of all' resolves to the Lord himself.───→here5.17───→6.20'Self' here is not soul but the Lord within.

Ekrasmodernkarma_yoga

Karma yoga — the apprentice pathbetween · v2

5.12Peace of the released───→here5.17───→18.46Work as worship

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

2.58Tortoise withdrawing───→here5.17───→5.27Senses excluded

Ekrasmodernparadox_of_doership

Paradox of doership — kartṛtvabetween · v2

5.14Lord neither acts nor causes───→here5.17───→13.20Prakriti causes, puruṣa enjoys

Ekrasmodernanger_management

Anger Managementbetween · other

3.37Kāma is the enemy───→here5.17───→5.23Endure the urge

ĀnandagiriclassicalC

Adhikāra: seeker vs. fulfilledbetween

5.1Two saṃnyāsas: fruit and means.───→here5.17───→6.46Yogin vs. jñānin: not synonyms.

ĀnandagiriclassicalD

Praśna-bīja chapter openingsbetween

5.1Recap-then-question becomes the rule.───→here5.17───→7.1Lord answers a question Arjuna did not ask.

ĀnandagiriclassicalF

Which karma? — fourfold typologybetween

5.1Body-residue karma vs. fruit-bearing karma.───→here5.17───→18.1Tyāga and saṃnyāsa named distinct.

ĀnandagiriclassicalH

Phala-saṃkalpa is the only upādhibetween

5.13All actions renounced by mind alone.───→here5.17───→18.1Tyāga = renouncing the relationship.

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

Three groups of six: you, the Lord, the joiningbetween

5.1Two chapters settled action and knowing.───→here5.17───→7.1First six unfold 'you,' middle six unfold 'that.'

MadhusūdanaclassicalB

Different students need different teachingsbetween

5.1Not combined, not optional; distributed by fitness.───→here5.17───→6.1The renouncer and yogi are one under two views.

MadhusūdanaclassicalC

Action purifies before knowing can landbetween

5.1Action for the ignorant: purification's only door.───→here5.17───→6.1Renouncing too lives by purity of mind.

MadhusūdanaclassicalG

Knowing and acting cannot run togetherbetween

5.13The knower's body acts; the knower does not.───→here5.17───→6.1Calling a karma-yogi 'renouncer' is only a courtesy.

RamsukhdasclassicalC

Desire is the root — not actionbetween

5.12Renounce the wish for fruit, not the fruit.───→here5.17───→5.23Endure desire and anger while still alive.

RamsukhdasclassicalG

Equanimity in everythingbetween

2.48Yoga itself is just sameness of mind.───→here5.17───→5.18See a sage, a cow, a dog as one.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

5.4Insight and practice are not two paths.───→here5.17───→6.46The lover outranks every other yogi.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

5.8The knower thinks, 'I do nothing at all.'───→here5.17───→6.3Body, senses, and mind: none of them yours.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here5.17───→

Ekrasmodernmeditation

Meditation — the dhyāna tourapproach · v2

───→here5.17───→6.10Solitary seat

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathapproach · v2

───→here5.17───→7.16Four kinds of bhakta

ĀnandagiriclassicalI

Bhakti carries jñāna, never parallelapproach

───→here5.17───→7.1Upāsya and tat-pada in apposition. Anchor.

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousapproach

───→here5.17───→7.4Two-fold prakṛti is the Lord's own power.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesapproach

───→here5.17───→7.1The chapter elaborates the prior bhajana-line.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherapproach

───→here5.17───→7.1A bow to the bliss-cloud, Nanda's son, opens seven.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartapproach

───→here5.17───→6.30See Me everywhere, I am never lost.

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

5.1A four-clause summary of all of 2 through 4.───→here5.17───→6.1The renouncer and yogi are the same person.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalA

The carama-śloka as retroactive bracketbetween

5.16Knowledge dispels what mā śucaḥ will close.───→here5.17───→9.24The receiver of all rites is named one verse.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalG

Three yogas — three angles on one configurationbetween

5.5The fruit of either is one and the same.───→here5.17───→6.1The renouncer and yogi are one figure.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalH

Mā śucaḥ — the inclusio of evolving griefbetween

5.16Knowledge-darkness cleared — not yet refuge.───→here5.17───→16.5Daivī-asuric grief closed mid-text.

VallabhaclassicalC

Drop the doer, not the deedbetween

5.1Arjuna asks the wrong question. first.───→here5.17───→6.1Real renouncing keeps the act alive.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

5.1Single-verse prelude sets sannyāsa-yoga eka.───→here5.17───→6.1Prelude binds yoga to puṣṭi-bhakti.

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderbetween

5.5Where one path goes, the other reaches too.───→here5.17───→6.1The two paths are one through fruit-renouncing act.

RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)approach

───→here5.17───→7.4Two natures of the Lord: matter and selves.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionapproach

───→here5.17───→7.17I am dearest to him.

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśaapproach

───→here5.17───→7.4Lower nature: matter.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata simileapproach

───→here5.17───→7.18He is My self; I cannot hold without him.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsapproach

───→here5.17───→7.14Those who take refuge cross the māyā.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalI

9.24 — the standing citation for ārādhyaapproach

───→here5.17───→7.21Deity-worship: His self-arrangement of grace.

VallabhaclassicalB

Grace alone — the technical markapproach

───→here5.17───→7.18The wise one is Myself, by grace alone.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentaryapproach

───→here5.17───→6.47Six chapters of aphorism close at this verse.

ŚrīdharaclassicalE

Inner cleansing reconciles work and knowingbetween

5.5See sāṅkhya and yoga as one — see truly.───→here5.17───→8.7Without a clean mind, steady remembrance fails.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinebetween

5.1Settling the doubt: renounce or work?───→here5.17───→6.1Pure mind is not yet release: now meditate.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homeapproach

───→here5.17───→6.47Be a devotee: that is the meaning.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessapproach

───→here5.17───→7.14Undivided love crosses the great mist.

Gauravmodernkarma_yoga_hand

Karma Yoga Handbetween

3.27Palm, kartala. Akartritva, non-doership. 'Prakriteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani s───→here5.17───→5.18Ring finger. Samadrishti. 'Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini, shuni ch

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidbetween

5.5'Yat sankhyaih prapyate sthanam tad yogair api gamyate.' The place reached by sa───→here5.17───→6.46'Tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogi jnanibhyo'pi mato'dhikah, karmibhyash chadhiko yogi tasm

Śabda · lemmas (11 unique · 14 occurrences)

निर्धूत nir-√dhū — to shake off, expel (nis- + √dhū) · compound participle (compound member)
कल्मषाः kalmaṣa — stain, sin, impurity · nominative masculine plural noun

show all 11

तद् tad ×4 — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · compound
बुद्धयः buddhi — intellect, intelligence, discriminating faculty · nominative masculine plural noun
आत्मानः ātman — the Self, soul; one's own self · nominative masculine plural noun
निष्ठाः niṣṭhā — fixed devotion, steadfastness, abiding-in (ni- + √sthā) · nominative masculine plural noun
परायणाः parāyaṇa — supreme refuge, ultimate goal (para 'highest' + ayana 'going') · nominative masculine plural noun
गच्छन्ति gam — to go (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person plural verb · also at 8.24, 14.18
अपुनर् apunar — (a- + punar: again)
आवृत्तिम् āvṛtti — return, repetition (ā- + √vṛt) · accusative feminine singular noun
ज्ञान jñāna — knowledge, wisdom, cognition · compound · also at 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.26, 3.32 +70

Praśna · so what (7)

01If tad-buddhi means 'intellect fully resolved in Brahman,' what distinguishes this from wishful thinking or self-hypnosis — and what does Śaṅkara's jñāna-mārga say about verifying that resolution is genuine?
02Rāmānuja places the ātman's own svarūpa as the destination rather than an external Brahman-locus — how does this shape Viśiṣṭādvaita's account of mokṣa as different from Advaita's dissolution-into-Brahman?

show all 7

03Madhva insists jīva-Brahman distinction is eternal even in liberation; how then does 'non-return' (apunar-āvṛtti) function — what exactly does not return if the jīva persists?
04Vallabha reads the verse as describing the already-liberated rather than prescribing a path — what is the practical implication: can prasāda arrive before the fourfold orientation is established?
05Madhusūdana reverses the causal order of the four qualifications (each later term being cause of the earlier) — how does this change how a practitioner would sequence their sādhana compared with a linear reading?
06All six schools agree kalmaṣa (defilement) is removed by jñāna, but they differ on what kalmaṣa fundamentally is — avidyā (Advaita), prācīna-karma (Viśiṣṭādvaita), Hari-vismaraṇa (Dvaita), or prasāda-deprivation (Śuddhādvaita). What is at stake in each diagnosis?
07The verse's compound tat-parāyaṇa (That as the sole refuge) appears across schools yet means different things — Brahman-as-Self, Bhagavān-as-Lord, Hari-as-independent, Kṛṣṇa-as-grace-giver. How does a reader of the mūla alone know which tat is operative?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When a decision or crisis demands your full attention, practice ekāgratā (one-pointedness) by asking 'What in this situation is the witnessing awareness, not the problem?' — training tad-buddhi. As the question shifts attention from content to the aware ground, notice how the urgency loses its grip. This is not escapism; it is the Śaṅkara move: locate the ātman-substrate before re-engaging action.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

In any sustained work — parenting, a creative project, professional service — periodically ask whether the object of your effort is being held with tad-ātman quality: mind genuinely on the other person or craft rather than on the result you desire. Rāmānuja's point is that the quality of inner orientation during practice matters as much as the act itself; upāsanā is the gradual training of that orientation.

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Dvaita

When you feel competent and self-sufficient, the Dvaita corrective is to name aloud — even briefly — that the capacity you are exercising is borrowed from a source you did not create. This is not false humility; it is aparokṣa-sādhana in miniature: replacing the jīva's autonomous-self-sense with awareness of dependency on Hari. The practice is cognitive, habitual, and cumulative.

Śuddhādvaita

Rather than treating spiritual practice as something you must accomplish, experiment with receiving your daily work as already given — prasāda already arrived. The Vallabha instruction is to shift from effortful striving to receptive acknowledgment: what intelligence, beauty, or flow showed up today that you did not manufacture? Name it. This is the everyday form of tat-prasāda-labdha-jñāna.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's Īśvara-upāsanā frame suggests building a daily anchor ritual — one act (a simple prayer, a moment of offering before meals, a pause before beginning work) that explicitly re-orients intellect, mind, resolve, and intention toward Īśvara. The four qualifications are not grand attainments; they are the cumulative deposit of small daily re-orientations done with sincerity.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana's reverse-causation insight becomes practical: begin not with intellectual study but with vairāgya — actively loosening attachment to outcomes in one area of life right now. The sequence is: detachment enables stable vicāra (enquiry), which enables nididhyāsana (absorption), which enables sākṣātkāra. A practitioner who tries to meditate before cultivating detachment will find the meditation shallow. Start with the outer ring.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 5, Verse 17: Krishna to Arjuna — Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga