Talks on the Gita -Vinoba 48

Chapter 5 TWO-FOLD STATE OF AKARMA: YOGA AND SANNYASA 24. But Still Yoga Is Better Than Sannyasa 32. Although sannyasa and karmayoga are of equal worth in their perfect states, karmayoga has an additional practical value. A currency note and a gold coin of the same denomination have the same value as long as the government is stable; but if the government collapses, the currency note is reduced to a paper whereas the gold coin will have some worth under all circumstances as it is, after all, made of a precious metal. In the perfect state, karmayoga (action) and renunciation of action have the same value as Self-knowledge is there in both of them. Value of Self-knowledge is infinite. In mathematics there is a principle that you may add any quantity to infinity, the total remains equal to infinity. Karmayoga and renunciation of karma are of equal value when coupled with Self-knowledge, but when Self-knowledge is deleted from both the sides, karmayoga is preferable for a seeker. Action through inaction is a riddle beyond the understanding of the seeker. Karmayoga, as already said, is a path as well as the destination while sannyasa is only the destination. In the terminology of the scriptures, karmayoga is a means as well as the nishtha while sannyasa is only the nishtha, that is, the ultimate state.