Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, Verse 49

[Bhagavad Gita Slokas]

	Chapter 18: Conclusion -- The Perfection of Renunciation
	Verse: 49 asakta-buddhih sarvatra jitatma vigata-sprihah naishkarmya-siddhim paramam sannyasenadhigacchati

Translation:
One who is self-controlled and unattached and who disregards all material enjoyments can obtain, by practice of renunciation, the highest perfect stage of freedom from reaction.

Explanation:
This verse speaks about an aspirant to liberation, who being fixed in his duties attains the knowledge of the soul. At this stage he is free to completely give up karma without any negative consequences. This is a summary of the point Krishna made earlier in 3.17.

The first type of sannyasi gives up the faults in his work, characterized by attachment to being the doer and attachment to the results. When that sannyasi perfects his sadhana over time, then he reaches the yogarudha stage, charecterized by complete inactivity of the senses through renouncing all activities, prescribed or otherwise. Thus he gives up all actions completely. That is the second type of sannyasa, mentioned here. He whose intelligence is free from all attachments to material objects, whose mind is under control, who has no desire for happiness, by complete renunciation of all activities, attains the highest perfection of no action at all. In other words, at the stage of yogarudha (no actions), with attainment of naiskarmyam, one reaches the highest perfection.

Srila Prabhupada comments, "A sannyasi is supposed to be free from the reactions of his past activities, but a person who is in Krishna consciousness automatically attains this perfection without even accepting the so-called order of renunciation. This state of mind is called yogarudha, or the perfectional stage of yoga. As confirmed in the Third Chapter, yas tv atma-ratir eva syat: one who is satisfied in himself has no fear of any kind of reaction from his activity."

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.

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