Mahabharata · 6.27.1
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर् योगं च शंससि ॥
यच् छ्रेय एतयोर् एकं तन् मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
saṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṃ ca śaṃsasi ||
yac chreya etayor ekaṃ tan me brūhi suniścitam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna asked
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्णsaṃnyāsaṃ karmaṇāṃ kṛṣṇarenunciation of actions, Krishna; abandonment of deeds, O Krishna
पुनर् योगं च शंससिpunar yogaṃ ca śaṃsasiagain You also praise yoga; and once more You praise yoga
यच् छ्रेय एतयोर् एकंyac chreya etayor ekaṃwhich of these two is better; which of the two is supreme
तन् मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्tan me brūhi suniścitamtell me that with certainty; declare this to me firmly
Translation
Arjuna said: "O Krishna, You praise renunciation of actions, and yet again You praise yoga. Tell me with certainty: which of these two is the higher good?"
Version
aaf9af3a146e · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna wants to resolve the remaining tension between outward abandonment of action and acting within yoga. His question lets Krishna clarify that true renunciation is measured not by inactivity but by freedom from attachment.