Does Krishna discard karma yoga or varnasrama in Gita 18.66?
Does Krishna discard Karma Yoga or Vanashram in the Bhagavad Gita in 1866? Answer yes and no. Yes in the literal meaning of that Krishna is saying sarva dharma pratyajyama me kamsa namo jaya basically what he is saying is that in the concluding instruction consideration of all previous instructions should be given up and the focus should be on surrender to him alone. Now incidentally for Arjuna surrender to those instructions also means doing his Vanashram because Krishna wanted him to do his Arjuna's Kshatriya Dharma of fighting.
So Arjuna at the start of the Bhavita was torn between two dharmas his Kula Dharma and his Kshatriya Dharma and Krishna tells him to analyze in various ways what is the right thing to do what is dharma he concludes by saying that Arjuna should focus on serving him and serving Krishna means establishing Krishna and establishing dharma dharma samsthapan artha assisting Krishna. So that means fighting the war. So in one sense the conflict was between Kula Dharma and Kshatriya Dharma and we could say that both can be said to be parts of Vanashram.
So is Krishna telling Arjuna to reject Vanashram? No Krishna is telling him to stick to that part of Vanashram which is in harmony with which is most in harmony with Krishna's purpose. So Karma Yoga does culminate in Bhakti Yoga through organic progression in the Bhagavata's flow and now if you look at 1866 in its immediate context 1863 is where Krishna is telling Arjuna you now you deliberate and do as you desire. Vimrishchaitadasheshena.
Now after that in one sense 1866 seems to be a contradiction of 1863 but it is not in the sense that it's a development of thought it's like a doctor telling a patient okay these are all the options for you for your child who is sick now you decide what you do what you want to do now after hearing all those options the patient can decide what they want to do or the patient can ask the doctor a more personal question a more direct question what would you do if it was your son if it was your child who was sick like this and and then the doctor will actually get down to business so that in 1863 Krishna tells Arjuna now you do as you desire but Arjuna through this non-verbal communication he as he becomes pensive he indicates that he wants he wants Arjuna to actually Arjuna wants to know what Krishna wants him to do and then Krishna opens his heart and 64 and 65 are very personal verses you are most dear to me so while those in principle can be said to be all souls everybody is here to Krishna but in specific they apply especially to Arjuna so 64 65 66 in that sense are can be said to be special instructions given specifically to Arjuna because Arjuna wants to know that much so Krishna in Sarvdharman Parityaja is actually helping Arjuna to know what Krishna's desire is now would that be Krishna's desire for every single person well again yes and no yes in the sense that Krishna wants all of us to harmonize specifics of how the harmonization of the human will with the divine will will happen will vary from person to person and for most people it won't be by Sarvdharman Parityaja it will be by by using Varanashram Varanashram acharvata samsiddhir hari toshanam by using Varanashram to satisfy Lord Hari so the explanations about giving up Varanashram are important also in their proper context they are applicable for very saintly people who are at a level where they can renounce the world completely they are also applicable in the commentaries of the Gaudiya Acharyas because those Acharyas often focus on not so much on Varanashram itself because they presume Varanashram to be already a pre-existing sound social system of organization and they focus on giving emphasizing what the Gaudiya tradition offers as special and extra but in general the Bhagavad Gita's message is a message of individual responsibility not just scriptural conformity and certainly not conformity with a particular explanation or emphasis of scripture of a particular Acharya so based on individual responsibility different people can harmonize with the divine divine will in different ways and for most people that harmony will be achieved by doing their duties in the world as appropriate according to Varanashram and the principles of Karma Yoga now of course Karma Yoga is also very high for many people but yes Loka Sangraha will happen when Karma Yoga is being done the world order will be maintained and it's remarkable how many times Krishna says don't disturb society na buddhi vedam janaya 326 yasmanodujite loko 1215 that Krishna is very world affirming in the Bhagavad Gita world affirming life affirming in the Bhagavad Gita is not at all world rejecting and that world rejecting ethos has not been the ethos of the Bhagavad Gita at all so it depends on which books are emphasized which strands of tradition are emphasized even when a particular verse is interpreted or explained so definitely within the within the context immediate context of the Bhagavad Gita for Arjuna Sarvatarman does not mean giving up Varanashram and for most readers of the Gita also it won't mean me in that it means essentially harmonizing with the divine will and how that has to be done that has to be decided with individual responsibility thank you very Krishna.