संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥ २ ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca :—
saṃnyāsaḥ karmayogaśca niḥśreyasakarāvubhau .
tayostu karmasaṃnyāsātkarmayogo viśiṣyate .. 2 ..
The Blessed Lord said :
Renunciation and Yoga through action both lead to the highest bliss; but, of the two, Yoga through action is esteemed more than renunciation of action.
Read the commentary
Sannyāsa and Karma-yoga, renunciation of actions and performance of actions, both lead to moksha, as giving rise to (spiritual) knowledge. Though both lead to moksha, yet, of the two means of attaining moksha, Karma-Yoga is better than mere—i.e., unaccompanied with knowledge—Karma-samnyasa. Thus the Lord has praised Karma-Yoga.*
The Lord does not of course mean that Karma-Yoga is superior to true Karma-samnyasa. True Karma-samnyasa, that which is accompanied with knowledge, is a far higher path than Karma-Yoga, though the latter is easier than, and therefore preferable to, that Karma-samnyasa which is unaccompanied with knowledge.
Wherefore?—The answer follows: