Karma Yoga is superior

Arjuna said: 

You praise in one breath both renunciation of action (Sanyasa) and the performance of action (Karma Yoga). 

Tell me definitely, which one is the better of the two. 

Lord Krishna said: 

Of the two, the performance of action is superior to the renunciation of action. 

Because renunciation of action (Sanyasa) is difficult to practise compared to the performance of action (karma yoga or selfless action). Renunciation and the performance of action - both lead to Liberation. But the man of selfless action (karma yogi) by keeping his mind fixed on God reaches Brahman faster than a Sanyasi.

  

In fact only ignorant treats yoga of knowledge and yoga of action as different. But the wise knows that yoga of knowledge and action is the same. 

It is because the person, who has truly mastered one, gets the benefits of both. The state, which one attains by knowledge, that same state is attained by selfless action too. He, who sees both knowledge and selfless action as one, sees truly. 

(Main Reference: Ch.5 – stanzas 1,2,3,4, 5,6,7).

Comments:

There are three paths for salvation. Jnana Yoga (Seeking of Knowledge), Karma Yoga (Performance of Action) and Karma Sanyasa (Abandonment of Action).  

Of these three paths, Karma Yoga is superior to other two. 

Why it is so? 

It is because Karma Yoga can be practiced comparatively easy as against the other two yogas and the goal also can be reached faster.

A group of persons are on a pilgrimage. On the way, one of the group members fell seriously ill. All except one has come forward to abandon the pilgrimage to take care of the sick person stating that ‘service to humanity is service to god’. 

There is no unhappiness in his mind for his inability to continue his pilgrimage. Others have gone on pilgrimage and are surprised to see the person who had stayed back, at the sanctum sanctorum! 

By his selfless service – karma yoga, the person has already got the bliss of God’s blessings. 

Failures in Jnana and Sanyasa will be fatal whereas failure in karma yoga will not be so. 

To the extent the karma is performed, one will reap the benefits and he can start from that point at a later time. 

To some extent, wise and sanyasi depend upon karma yogi for their minimum needs, as they need not perform any karma. This aspect also makes karma yoga superior to the other two.