Transliteration
ārurukṣor-muner-yogaṃ karma kāraṇam ucyate |
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate || 3 ||
Translation
For the sage who seeks to ascend to the heights of Yoga, the action is said to be the means; but when one has reached the summit of Yoga, quiescence is said to be the means. or For one who is a neophyte (beginner) in yoga, the action is said to be the means; but when one has reached the summit of Yoga, quiescence (cessation or renunciation) is said to be the means.
Purport
This Shloka is one of the very important Shlokas of this chapter. This Shloka describes the stages where Karma and Sanays become more prominent.
Bhagvan Shri Krishna explains that Karma is always the first in the process in the path of liberation. Those who desire to rise to the highest state of self-realization should start with performing prescribed Vedic actions. But once he attains the height of self-realization then he can renunciation his actions and move on with Sanyas. Here onwards he can devote his time in deep meditation, Samadhi, etc and further attain the liberation.
To remind readers that this matches very much with the four Ashrams of life as described in Sanatan philosophy. Initial phases of life i.e. Bramhacharya and Grahastha are dominant with actions. The third and fourth phases of life i.e Vanprastha and Sanyas is dominant with the process of renunciation. A human should follow this pattern of life for optimal human life.
