Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The Perfection of Renunciation

Lord Krishna concludes his teachings to Arjuna by summarizing the key concepts discussed throughout the Gita. He explains the difference between Sanyasa (renunciation of actions driven by desire) and Tyaga (renunciation of attachment to the fruits of actions), and emphasizes that selfless action, performed in accordance with one's duty, is the path to liberation. Krishna revisits the roles of the three Gunas, describing how they affect one's duties and work. He explains the duties associated with the four varnas (social orders) and highlights that by doing one’s duty with devotion and detachment, one attains purification and unity with the divine. Finally, Krishna urges Arjuna to surrender to him wholeheartedly, promising liberation and protection. Arjuna’s doubts are dispelled, and he prepares to fulfill his duty. This chapter reinforces the message of devotion, selfless action, and surrender as the ultimate paths to spiritual freedom.

Verse 1

Arjuna said, O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the purpose of renunciation [tyaga] and of the renounced order of life [sannyasa], O killer of the Kesi demon, Hrsikesa.

Verse 2

The Supreme Lord said, To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life by great learned men.

Verse 3

Some wise people say that all actions that have rewards should be given up. However, other wise people say that certain important actions like sacrifices, charity (giving to others), and penance (self-discipline) should never be given up.

Verse 4

O best of the Bharatas, hear from Me now about renunciation. O tiger among men, there are three kinds of renunciation declared in the scriptures.

Verse 5

Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls.

Verse 6

All these activities should be performed without any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Prtha. That is My final opinion.

Verse 7

Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If, by illusion, one gives up his prescribed duties, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Verse 8

Anyone who gives up their necessary work because they find it hard or feel scared is acting out of a passionate attitude. This kind of giving up does not help them move towards true renunciation.

Verse 9

But he who performs his prescribed duty only because it ought to be done, and renounces all attachment to the fruit—his renunciation is of the nature of goodness, O Arjuna.

Verse 10

Those who are in a good state of mind do not dislike doing bad work or get too attached to good work. They are sure about what needs to be done.

Verse 11

It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. Therefore it is said that he who renounces the fruits of action is one who has truly renounced.

Verse 12

For one who is not renounced, the threefold fruits of action—desirable, undesirable, and mixed—accrue after death. But those who are in the renounced order of life have no such results to suffer or enjoy.

Verse 13

Learn from Me, O mighty-armed Arjuna, these five causes, as declared in the Sankhya system, for the accomplishment of all actions.

Verse 14

The body, the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various kinds, and the presiding deity—the fifth.

Verse 15

Whatever right or wrong action a man performs by body, mind or speech is caused by these five factors.

Verse 16

Therefore one who thinks himself the only doer, not considering the five factors, is certainly not very intelligent and cannot see things as they are.

Verse 17

One who is not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, is not the slayer. Nor is he bound by his actions.

Verse 18

Knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower are the three factors which motivate action; the senses, the work and the doer comprise the threefold basis of action.

Verse 19

In accordance with the three modes of material nature, there are three kinds of knowledge, action, and performers of action. Listen as I describe them.

Verse 20

That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all existences, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the mode of goodness.

Verse 21

That knowledge by which a different type of living entity is seen to be dwelling in different bodies is knowledge in the mode of passion.

Verse 22

And that knowledge by which one is attached to one kind of work as the all in all, without knowledge of the truth, and which is very meager, is said to be in the mode of darkness.

Verse 23

As for actions, that action in accordance with duty, which is performed without attachment, without love or hate, by one who has renounced fruitive results, is called action in the mode of goodness.

Verse 24

But action performed with great effort by one seeking to gratify his desires, and which is enacted from a sense of false ego, is called action in the mode of passion.

Verse 25

And that action performed in ignorance and delusion without consideration of future bondage or consequences, which inflicts injury and is impractical, is said to be action in the mode of ignorance.

Verse 26

The worker who is free from all material attachments and false ego, who is enthusiastic and resolute and who is indifferent to success or failure, is a worker in the mode of goodness.

Verse 27

But that worker who is attached to the fruits of his labor and who passionately wants to enjoy them, who is greedy, envious and impure and moved by happiness and distress, is a worker in the mode of passion.

Verse 28

And that worker who is always engaged in work against the injunction of the scripture, who is materialistic, obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others, who is lazy, always morose and procrastinating, is a worker in the mode of ignorance.

Verse 29

Now, O winner of wealth, please listen as I tell you in detail of the three kinds of understanding and determination according to the three modes of nature.

Verse 30

O son of Prtha, that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating, that understanding is established in the mode of goodness.

Verse 31

And that understanding which cannot distinguish between the religious way of life and the irreligious, between action that should be done and action that should not be done, that imperfect understanding, O son of Prtha, is in the mode of passion.

Verse 32

That understanding which considers irreligion to be religion and religion to be irreligion, under the spell of illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong direction, O Partha, is in the mode of ignorance.

Verse 33

O son of Prtha, that determination which is unbreakable, which is sustained with steadfastness by yoga practice, and thus controls the mind, life, and the acts of the senses, is in the mode of goodness.

Verse 34

And that determination by which one holds fast to fruitive result in religion, economic development and sense gratification is of the nature of passion, O Arjuna.

Verse 35

And that determination which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness, and illusion-such unintelligent determination is in the mode of darkness.

Verse 36

And now, O Arjuna, hear from Me of the threefold pleasure, in which one rejoices through practice and surely comes to the end of pain.

Verse 37

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar—that happiness is declared to be sattvic, born of the purity of one's own mind due to self-realization.

Verse 38

That happiness which comes from the connection of our senses with what we experience, which feels very sweet at first but turns sour later, is said to be the kind that comes from passion.

Verse 39

And that happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to end and which arises from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.

Verse 40

There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed from the three modes of material nature.

Verse 41

Brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras are distinguished by their qualities of work, O chastiser of the enemy, in accordance with the modes of nature.

Verse 42

Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness-these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work.

Verse 43

Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the ksatriyas.

Verse 44

Farming, cattle raising and business are the qualities of work for the vaisyas, and for the sudras there is labor and service to others.

Verse 45

By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.

Verse 46

By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection.

Verse 47

It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly. Prescribed duties, according to one's nature, are never affected by sinful reactions.

Verse 48

Every endeavor is covered by some sort of fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work which is born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if such work is full of fault.

Verse 49

One can obtain the results of renunciation simply by self-control and by becoming unattached to material things and disregarding material enjoyments. That is the highest perfectional stage of renunciation.

Verse 50

O son of Kunti, learn from Me in brief how one can attain to the supreme perfectional stage, Brahman, by acting in the way which I shall now summarize.

Verse 51

Endowed with a pure intellect, controlling the self through firmness, relinquishing sound and other objects and abandoning attraction and hatred.

Verse 52

Dwelling in solitude, eating sparingly, with speech, body, and mind subdued, always engaged in meditation and concentration, and resorting to dispassion.

Verse 53

Having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger, and covetousness, and being free from the notion of 'mine' and peaceful, he is fit for becoming Brahman.

Verse 54

One who is truly connected to the Supreme Spirit understands and experiences inner peace. Such a person does not feel sadness or a strong desire for anything. They treat all beings equally and, in this state, they achieve a deep connection and service to Me.

Verse 55

One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.

Verse 56

Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My devotee, under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace.

Verse 57

In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.

Verse 58

If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

Verse 59

If you do not act according to My direction and do not fight, then you will be falsely directed. By your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare.

Verse 60

Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kunti.

Verse 61

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Verse 62

O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.

Verse 63

Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

Verse 64

Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.

Verse 65

Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

Verse 66

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.

Verse 67

This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.

Verse 68

For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

Verse 69

There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.

Verse 70

And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation worships Me by his intelligence.

Verse 71

And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reaction and attains to the planets where the pious dwell.

Verse 72

O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this attentively with your mind? And are your illusions and ignorance now dispelled?

Verse 73

Arjuna said, My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

Verse 74

Sanjaya said: Thus have I heard the conversation of two great souls, Krsna and Arjuna. And so wonderful is that message that my hair is standing on end.

Verse 75

By the mercy of Vyasa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Krsna, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.

Verse 76

O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krsna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.

Verse 77

O King, when I remember the wonderful form of Lord Krsna, I am struck with even greater wonder, and I rejoice again and again.

Verse 78

Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

Chapter 18 The Perfection of Renunciation