BG5.4

We saw that the day before the start of Adyayanothsavam, the Utsava moorthy of Sri Koodalazhagar arrives on Garuda and Perialwar is mounted on an elephant, to recollect the incident that took place long ago. Also in the month of Purattasi [ Sep -Oct], Five Garuda vahanams will be there. In the second sloka, Sri Krishna told that though both Gyana yoga and Karma yoga are suitable to achieve the result, He would recommend Karma yoga for Arjuna. Now in the third sloka He substantiates His statement that Karma yoga was better. Third sloka:
neyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate

"One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna."

He will tell that Karma yogi raises more than the Gyana yogi. Sa = he [ one who is practicing Karma yoga], nitya sanyasi neya = is considered always a Gyana yogi. A Karma yogi can become a Gyana yogi while the reverse is not possible. Sanyasi means he who has renounced all. Na kanksati = he dos not have likes for anything, na dvesti = and therefore, he does not dislike anyone. Likes only induces dislikes. So if we do not have anything in particular as liking, we will not dislike anything. This is the same status of one who practices Gyana yoga. One who has controlled his senses and meditating for atman sakshatkaram, will never have anything as to his liking. He is friendly with all. This is the nature of Gyana yogi. This point is reached by Karma yogi. Therefore, Karma yogi is equal to a Gyana yogi. Nirdvadva = the twins will never affect him. Which are the twins? Happiness and sorrow, comfort and struggle, profit and loss or heat and cold. Karma yogi is equal with the twins. Bandhat = from the shackles of samsaram, sukham = easily, pramucyate = freed or liberated. Karma yogi gets liberated from the bonds of life very easily. The key word is: easily liberated, and that makes Karma yoga better than Gyana yoga. Gyana yoga needs lot of effort and time. Whereas, Karma yoga will get the release easily and quicker. We have to remember that just as a Karma yogi is bound by the worldly affairs, so also a Gyana yogi. Though in the sloka, dvesti [ dislikes] is first mentioned and then only Kankshati [ likes] is mentioned, while understanding the sloka, we have to first know that likes are discarded and consequently, dislikes are not there. It is our likes, which create dislikes or hatred. It is a common knowledge that most of the persons have likes for bad things in spite of all warnings. Knowing such things are injurious to us, we tend to go after them. This is because of the habit formed over so many births. As a consequence, we hate and dislike those preventing us from reaching what we like. Overcoming these in Karma yoga, the person is as good as a Gyana yogi.