Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 18
The Yoga of Liberation through Renunciation
78 verses · The grand conclusion. Krishna summarizes all paths, reveals his deepest teaching, and Arjuna, with doubts dispelled, resolves to act according to dharma.
Chapter 18
मोक्षसन्न्यासयोग
Mokṣha Sannyāsa Yoga
18.1
Arjuna said: O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the nature of sannyasa…
18.2
The Supreme Lord said: The sages understand sannyasa to be the giving up of actions…
18.3
Some learned people say that all action should be given up as evil, while others say that…
18.4
O best of the Bharatas, hear My conclusion regarding tyaga
18.5
Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned; they must be performed
18.6
But even these actions should be performed without attachment and without expectation of…
18.7
Renunciation of prescribed duties is not proper
18.8
One who gives up action out of fear of bodily discomfort, thinking 'it is painful' — such…
18.9
When obligatory action is performed simply because it ought to be done, O Arjuna,…
18.10
The wise renouncer, filled with sattva, whose doubts are cut away, neither hates…
18.11
It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all actions entirely
18.12
For those who have not renounced, the threefold fruit of action — desirable, undesirable,…
18.13
O mighty-armed one, learn from Me these five factors, as declared in Sankhya philosophy,…
18.14
The body, the doer, the various senses, the many different functions, and the presiding…
18.15
Whatever action a person performs with body, speech, or mind — whether right or wrong —…
18.16
This being so, one who sees oneself alone as the doer, due to impure understanding, does…
18.17
One who is free from the notion of ego, whose intellect is not tainted — even though…
18.18
Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower — these three motivate action
18.19
In the science of the gunas, knowledge, action, and the doer are each declared to be of…
18.20
That knowledge by which one sees the one imperishable reality in all beings, undivided in…
18.21
But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as…
18.22
But that knowledge which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without…
18.23
Action that is ordained, performed without attachment, without love or hatred, by one who…
18.24
But action performed with great effort by one seeking to fulfill desires, or done with…
18.25
Action undertaken out of delusion, without regard for consequences, loss, injury to…
18.26
The doer who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with determination and…
18.27
The doer who is attached, who desires the fruits of action, who is greedy, violent,…
18.28
The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent,…
18.29
Hear now, O Dhananjaya, the threefold division of intellect and determination according…
18.30
O Partha, that intellect which knows the path of action and renunciation, what ought to…
18.31
O Partha, that intellect which incorrectly understands dharma and adharma, what ought to…
18.32
O Partha, that intellect which, enveloped in darkness, regards adharma as dharma and sees…
18.33
O Partha, that unwavering determination by which one controls the activities of the mind,…
18.34
But that determination, O Arjuna, by which one holds fast to duty, pleasure, and wealth,…
18.35
That determination by which a foolish person does not give up sleep, fear, grief,…
18.36
Now hear from Me, O best of the Bharatas, about the three kinds of happiness
18.37
That happiness which is like poison in the beginning but like nectar in the end, born of…
18.38
That happiness which arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, which is…
18.39
That happiness which deludes the self both in the beginning and in the end, arising from…
18.40
There is no being on earth or in heaven among the gods that is free from these three…
18.41
O scorcher of foes, the duties of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras are…
18.42
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, patience, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and…
18.43
Valor, vigor, fortitude, skill, not fleeing from battle, generosity, and leadership —…
18.44
Agriculture, cow protection, and trade are the natural duties of a Vaishya
18.45
By being devoted to one's own duty, a person attains perfection
18.46
By worshipping through one's own duty the One from whom all beings originate and by whom…
18.47
Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well…
18.48
O son of Kunti, one should not abandon one's natural duty, even if it has faults
18.49
One whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has conquered the self, from whom…
18.50
Learn from Me briefly, O son of Kunti, how one who has attained perfection reaches…
18.51
Endowed with pure intellect, controlling the self with firmness, turning away from sound…
18.52
Dwelling in solitude, eating lightly, controlling speech, body, and mind, ever engaged in…
18.53
Having abandoned ego, force, arrogance, desire, anger, and possessiveness, free from the…
18.54
Having become Brahman, serene in the Self, one neither grieves nor desires
18.55
Through devotion one comes to know Me — what and who I am in truth
18.56
Though always performing all actions, one who takes refuge in Me attains by My grace the…
18.57
Mentally renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me as the Supreme, resorting to the yoga…
18.58
With your mind fixed on Me, you shall overcome all obstacles by My grace
18.59
If, filled with ego, you think 'I will not fight,' your resolve is vain
18.60
O son of Kunti, bound by your own karma born of your nature, that which from delusion you…
18.61
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings to revolve by…
18.62
Take refuge in Him alone with your whole being, O Bharata
18.63
Thus has wisdom more secret than all secrets been declared to you by Me
18.64
Hear again My supreme word, the most secret of all
18.65
Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me
18.66
Abandoning all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone
18.67
This should never be spoken to one who is without austerity, who is not devoted, who does…
18.68
One who teaches this supreme secret to My devotees, showing highest devotion to Me, shall…
18.69
There is none among human beings who does dearer service to Me than such a one, nor shall…
18.70
And one who studies this sacred dialogue of ours — by that one I shall be worshipped…
18.71
Even one who hears this with faith and without malice shall be liberated and attain the…
18.72
O Partha, has this been heard by you with one-pointed mind
18.73
Arjuna said: My delusion is destroyed, and I have gained memory through Your grace, O…
18.74
Sanjaya said: Thus I have heard this wonderful dialogue between Vasudeva and the…
18.75
By the grace of Vyasa, I have heard this supreme secret yoga directly from Krishna, the…
18.76
O King, remembering again and again this wonderful and sacred dialogue between Keshava…
18.77
And remembering again and again that most wonderful form of Hari, great is my amazement,…
18.78
Wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna, the wielder of…