"Action in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Always Superior to Vairāgya"

**śrībhagavān uvāca** *sannyāsaḥ karmayogaś ca niḥśreyasakarāv ubhau tayos tu karmasannyāsāt karmayogo viśiṣyate* [BG 5.2] **The Blessed Lord said:** ***The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of works.*** **Purport** Fruitive activities, which are aimed at sense gratification, are the cause of material bondage. As long as one remains engaged in activities meant for improving bodily comforts, one is destined to transmigrate through various types of bodies, thereby perpetuating material bondage. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam confirms this: *nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye yata ātmano ’yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ* *parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvanna jijñāsata ātma-tattvam yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ* *evaṁ manaḥ karma-vaśaṁ prayuṅkte avidyayātmany upadhīyamāne prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat* ***“People are mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this present body, which is full of miseries, is a result of one’s fruitive activities in the past. Although this body is temporary, it is always giving one trouble in many ways. Therefore, to act for sense gratification is not good. One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about the nature of work for fruitive results, for as long as one is engrossed in the consciousness of sense gratification, one has to transmigrate from one body to another. Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by ignorance, one must develop a love for devotional service to Vāsudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence.”*** **[Bhāg. 5.5.4-6]** Thus, mere jñāna—knowledge that one is not the material body but the spirit soul—is not sufficient for liberation. One must act in the status of the spirit soul; otherwise, there is no escape from material bondage. However, action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not on the fruitive platform. Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen one’s advancement in real knowledge. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mere renunciation of fruitive activities does not truly purify the heart of a conditioned soul. As long as the heart remains impure, one is compelled to act on the fruitive platform. However, action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically frees one from the results of fruitive action, ensuring that one does not descend again to the material platform. Therefore, action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which carries the risk of falling. Renunciation without Kṛṣṇa consciousness is incomplete, as confirmed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: *prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate.* ***“Renunciation by persons eager to achieve liberation of things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, is called incomplete renunciation.”*** Renunciation is complete only when it is based on the understanding that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything. Factually, nothing belongs to anyone. If this is understood, where is the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Kṛṣṇa’s property is always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, everything should be engaged in His service. This perfect form of action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is far superior to any amount of artificial renunciation practiced by a sannyāsī of the Advaitin school.