Shloka 2

भीष्मविक्रमदर्शनं तथा क्रौञ्चारुणव्यूहविधानम् | Bhīṣma’s Ascendancy and the Organization of the Krauñcāruṇa Formation

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संनन्‍्यासं कवयो विदु: । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणा:

Transliteration

śrībhagavān uvāca kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ saṁnyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ | sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṁ prāhus tyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ ||

Translation

श्रीभगवानुवाच— काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ॥

Word by Word

श्रीभगवान्the Blessed Lord

उवाचsaid

काम्यानाम्of desire-motivated (optional) [acts]

कर्मणाम्of actions

न्यासम्renunciation/laying aside

संन्यासम्sannyāsa (formal renunciation)

कवयःthe sages/wise poets

विदुःknow/consider

सर्वकर्मफलत्यागम्renunciation of the fruits of all actions

प्राहुःdeclare/call

त्यागम्renunciation (tyāga)

विचक्षणाःthe discerning/wise

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Bhagavān (Krishna)

kavayaḥ (the wise/discerning sages)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Two related ideals are distinguished: (1) saṁnyāsa—renunciation understood as giving up desire-driven (kāmya) actions; and (2) tyāga—true relinquishment understood as giving up attachment to the fruits of all actions. The ethical emphasis is on performing rightful duty without egoistic claim over outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhīṣma Parva’s instruction setting, Krishna continues teaching Arjuna amid the impending battle, clarifying what ‘renunciation’ really means for one who must act. Rather than advocating mere withdrawal, he frames the disciplined inner stance—detachment from results—as the practical path while fulfilling one’s dharma.