Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच | सन्न्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि | यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ||

arjuna uvāca sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi suniścitam

Arjuna said: O Krishna, You praise renunciation of actions and also yoga. Please tell me conclusively which is better of these two.

Arjuna asks Krishna to clarify which path is superior: renunciation (sannyasa) or yoga (karma yoga). After hearing about both paths in previous chapters, Arjuna is confused. He's heard Krishna praise complete renunciation of action, but also heard praise for performing action without attachment. His question reveals a common spiritual dilemma: should you withdraw from the world or engage with detachment? The answer isn't simple—both paths lead to liberation, but Krishna will clarify that selfless action is superior because it integrates wisdom into daily life rather than requiring physical withdrawal.