The concept of renunciation or sanyasa is repeatedly stressed in the Gita with reference to the life and acts of every individual as a lot of confusion prevails about its real import.
Being endowed with the karmendriyas and jnanendriyas, all are compelled to act and cannot refrain from it. Krishna makes it clear that renouncing action and adopting sanyasa or a hermit’s life is not the true import of renunciation. Renunciation is a state of mind that is attained by continuous striving towards understanding the true purpose of one's existence, pointed out Srimati Sunanda in a discourse. The mind and intellect are powerful instruments capable of conferring the knowledge about the nature of existence, or reality or Truth against what is always subject to change. Hence development of one's mind, intellect and attitude, is crucial, whatever may be one’s calling in life.
Each one has the option of either focusing on worldly joys that are anyway short lived or renouncing these for something permanent. It is a matter of fixing one’s priorities in life, between the ephemeral and the eternal. This is the only way to be relieved of the stress of life that is commonly spreading as a disease, sapping the mental and physical energies of beings; and in addition, by using the mind and intellect in a wise manner that looks at the heart of existence and seeks to understand the meaning of existence, one gradually gets released from the bondage of samsara.
This is after all the aim of human existence. All actions performed with sincerity and with no desire for the fruits is the essence of karma yoga prescribed in the Gita. By this, it is possible to rise above actions that bind.
